The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-10-28

From the Washington Union
The following communication from Lieutenant Maury,
the supernte of the National Observatory to the
Secretary OF the Navy respecting the Of lie
verrers planet has been obligingly furnished
for publication she great interest Of the subject and
the nnequalIed triumph OF mathematical science display
ed in the prediction Of the French astronomer
fully confirmed by observation both here and In Europe
will commend Lieutenant Maurys paper to the attention
OF our readers
Saturday night, Oct. ~, lsl6
srh-The newly discovered planet lie yerrier was OBJ
served here last night with the fourteen foot equatorial
and again TO night with the west transit, the mural and
meridian circles together with the equatorial Its
observations Of single night Therefore, before pro-
nouncing i TO be the planet preferred to wait for the
result OF the second nights observations
With the assistance of Lieutenant d. D. Porter had
commenced search for this planet with the equator
on the 18th instant by sweeping from r. A. ooh 4om
22h 40m In alternate belts Of 20m each side OF the
parallel of 10 deg south declination The belts swept
on the 18TH were from IL deg 10 min to Is deg aud
from Is deg to Is deg. 20 minr each occupying two
hours in which every star down the l2h mag nitude
inclusive that crossed the field carefully observed
On the 10th the belt swept over was from 10 deg 20
min to II deg 40 min but the night proved highly I'M
favorabie and its corresponding belt viz from Is deg
70 min to IL deg 40 min was postponed for the next
night
Before however, opportunity occurred for CONT.
nuing the work. Lieut.. Richard Bachs presented me
with copy of the London Evening Mail of the IND in
slant announcing that the planet had been first at
Hind Bishops Observatory. From these two observa.
tons its place computed and found to be in the mid
The night was hazy but turned tn e telescope upon
the supposed place. and found N the middle OF the field
white star OF the 9Th magnitude which not contain.
ed in any catalogue This supposed to be the planet
Completing series Of difsrentd measurements upon
with star 7o4s A. Co reduced the aperture, put on
higher powers and commenced to explore for satellites
thought could catch gmpses Of two spurs IA straight
line joining them, passing through the centre) above
end below the planet Without knowing what had
Lieut. Porter examined and described the sp
pearance.
Whether these two faint points optical illu.
sion satellites, or the extremiies of ring, with its
plane passing u.s. hoped to nights observations
would enable us to determine but the atmosphere is
thick with the haze of Indian at its height
and the examination has been worthless
The planet may DO seen with a good spy glass. Its
motion among the stars is about seconds day. At
present is the first of equilaeral triangular group
the other two componens Of the triangle being yellow
ish stars OF the ninth magnitude, about deg 20 mn
or three and half times the diameter of the SUM-
Of Saturn.
The following the results of observations
far, which may however require small correction,
account of the star Of comparison, 764s B, A. C.
OBSERVATIONS OF LIE WERNER, WAsHINsroN OBsER-
vATORY