Gents Mag 1742 p.106
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Gentleman's Magazine 1742 p.106
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comet
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Comet, 1742
Boothby near Carlisle. SIR, ON the 20th, about 4 o' Clock in the Morning I accidentally discover'd a Comet in or near the Extremity of the Tail of the Serpent of Ophiuchus, about 12 or 14 Deg. West, and of the same Altitude with the Lucida Aquilae. The next Morning it had mov'd in one diurnal Revolution at least 2 and a half Degrees, seemingly in or near the Direction of a vertical Circle, and aiming towards the Lucida Lyrae; but I have no Instruments to make proper Observations, I therefore desire you would consult some of the eminent Astronomers in London, and give Account of it in your next, for we want to have the Theory of Comets compleated, which can no otherways be obtained but from Observations a Posteriori. I am, Sir, &c. G. SMITH. (Extracts from Mr. Smith's Letter being sent to several Gentlemen, it produced the following Answers.) Fleet-street, Feb. 27, 1741-2. Mr. URBAN, HAD the two last Nights been favourable, I might have been able to give you and your Northern Friend a better Account of the present Comet; but your Miscellany comes out too soon to give Time for Satisfaction. The Comet was seen in the West last Thursday was 7-night, in the Morning; whether sooner by any one I cannot tell. It was then in Antinous, near or at the Tail of the Serpens Ophiuchi. About Wednesday it was in the Milky Way, near the Tail of the Eagle, full as bright as Stars of the 3d Magnitude. It is going almost Northward, at some Distance from Lucida Lyrae, at the Rate of about six Degrees in a Day, with a Tail six Deg. long, and will soon not set at all. It passes not far from the Course of the Comet which was seen in 1672, and may be supposed the same, if its Node prove to have been in the same Place with that; which I fear will not hold, as I at first hoped. It is, I suppose, in its Ascent from the Sun, and may be visible many Weeks, if not a few Months, in clear Nights. This very imperfect Account must suffice at present, from Yours, &c. WILL. WHISTON.
 Mr. URBAN, I Thank you, Sir, for the Account you sent me of the Comet. Yesterday Morning, about Three o'Clock, I was so happy as to have a Sight of it myself; but for Want of proper Instruments to observe it, was obliged to do it by the Help of Lines, in the following manner. On the 24th Inst. 15h. 12m. O.M. by extending a Thread from the bright Star in the Harp, to a small Star of the 4th Magintude in the neck of Anser (before the Nose of Vulpicula) which I have mark'd in the above Figure B. I foud it to pass thro' the Center of the Comet; and at the same Time I observed the Comet to be distant from the Star mark'd A, just twice the Distance of the two Stars A, and b. But to be more exact, I apply'd a Thread from Albireo in the Swan's Beak, to b, in the Harp, and found the Distance of the Comet on one Side from the Thread, to be exactly twice the Distance of the Star A, on the other. The Vertical Circle, passing thro' the Center of the Comet, I found to be distant from Lyra the full Extent of an Equilateral Triangle formed upon Lyra and the small Star C. The Tail |
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