The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-03-10

The last discovered planet is not found in this
table. as no computations of the elements of the
orbit have yet reached us, though the discovery
dates more than three months 8 nee so slowly
does scientihc intelligence from the continent of
Europe reach this city.
Of the thirteen asteroids, three have been dis.
covered by Hind, of London, three by Gasparis of
Naples, two by Hencke, Of Driessen. two hy Obers.
of Bremen, while PiazZi, Of Palermo, Harding, OF
l.ienthal, and Graham, of Markree, have each
discovered one.
With regard to the inclinations Of the orbits,
eight out OF twelve have inclination OF less than
10 deg, and are therefore nearly within the limits
ef the incnatIons OF the larger planets; the other
four, Ceres, Juno Hebe, and Pallas, have inclina-
tioDs of 10, IL, II and 81 degrees respe ectively
The nodes OF Hebe and Astrna approach coin
cidence within deg those of Juno and Pallas sp-
pfoximate sull more closely; while the ascending
ncde of Ceres is within deg. of the descending
node of Iris, and at nearly EQUAL distances of .
deg From this point, each side, lie the descend
irg node OF Clio, and the ascending node of Vesta,
the ascending node of Metis being also Included
between the descending nodes of Iris and Clio Ia
snother group lie the ascending nodes Of Flora and
Vesta, degrees asunder, with the descending node
OF Hygeia between them. The node of Parthe.
nope lies between the first and last mentioned
groups.
Al result OF this distribution Of the nodes nd
incllnaiions, two of the orbits, when all are
traced celestial globe or planisy yh ere approach
very near coincidence, yet there are several re.
maTkable approximations or intersections of three
or more in ceItan regions. The orbits of Hebe,
Ceres, AMI Pallas, thus traced, ntersect the one,
the other near a point whose celestial longitude IL
about lsS degreea, and north latitude II degrees,
so that they would each pass through a circle OF
about one degree in diameter described about that
point as centre. Al 100 Of longitude, and III of
north latitude, circle of two degrees diameter
The orbits Of Flora, Vesta, Meus, Parthenope,
Astima and Juno, approach so near each other
about longitude 1877 and north latitude ;, that they
would ntefsect a circle about , degrees in diane
CfECrlDFd nhOnf nt Ia uf uffftta
and north latitude, circle OF about degrees
would be required.
The remaining three whose orbits are known,
Clio, lrls and Hygeie, would in tersect a circle
degree and hall in diameter described about
point 10 longitude 2li, south latitude deg. AT
100 OF Longitude and Of south latitude. circle of
three deg. would include portion OF each orbit.
Hence II will be seen that at 100 deg OF longitude
occurs a remarkable grosping OF the orbits. They
are all there included in a zone OF about iS degs.
in breadth, distributed in three groups, the ex-
treInc ones (tbree in each), aad ~ degs dis,an
nom the middle group OF . orbits, and the two
most northern groups, containing orbits, are in.
cluded IN y zone about segs in breadth. Another
point Of remarkable grouping, is in longitude 237, !,
north latitude 8 the orbits of Flora, Yestl, Par
thenope, Astrwa and Ceres, would here each in
tersect circle OF about degree in diameter; and
four others, Clio, Iris, Nets and Hygeia, wolld
intersect circle ot degs. with center in same
Longitude, end IN deg south latitude, the whole
nise being included IN zone degs in breadth.
The orbits of The remaining three, Hebe, Juno and
Psas, receding widely fron ,he rest at this point
The eccentricities ci the orbits are various, and
IN several ceses so great, that the orbit Of the
distant, HyPeia, does not IN dimension, entirely
include all the rest, but only tbose Of Flora Vesta,
Metis end Parthenope, the greatest distance Of Clio
being little greater than the least distance OF
Hygeia, and in the orbits o the others the excess
is still greater. In the case Of Juno, the orbit il so
eccentric that, although only the ninth in order OF
mean distance ts least distance IL lee. than that OF
Vcsta, the third in order, end is greatest distance
The periodic times follow the same order as the
mean dstonces, since they depend upon them, a nd
vary from 300 10 1000 days, or from three years
three months to 1--WE years six months.
This sEetCh, imperfect az IL Is, presents al one
view number Of facts and deductions which can
be found embodied nowhere else at present. We
may return 10 the subject al future time. 10 pre-
sent complete table Of the Conponents Of the solar
eysicm et present known table much needed
from The numerous additions resulting from late
discoveries