Our Astronomical Column

Abstract

A STAR WITH LARGE PROPER MOTION.—Dr. Gould notifies the probable existence of very large proper motion in a star of a little below the eighth magnitude, which is No. 1584 of Hour xxiii. in the Cordoba Zone Catalogue; the position for 1875.0 is in R.A. 23h. 58m. 1.85s., Decl. –37° 58′ 18.8″, consequently in the constellation Sculptor. From observations between 1872 and 1884 Dr. Gould infers an annual proper motion of +0.4823s. in right ascension, and −2.4479″ in declination, or 6.2057″ in arc of a great circle in the direction 66° 46′ east of south. This direction, he remarks, differs from that of Lacaille 9352 (which is 15° distant) by 34°. The large proper motion of Lacaille's star, one of 7.5m., was also detected by Dr. Gould; it amounts to 6.9565″; so that it had moved over 14(1/4 minutes of arc between the year 1752 and the time of the Cordoba observations about the end of 1876.