Abstract
COMET PERRINE 1896, DECEMBER 8.βIn this column for December 31, 1896, we referred to the striking similarity between the elements of the comet discovered by Mr. Perrine on December 8, and those of the Biela comet. Dr. F. Risten-part finds, however (Astr. Nachr., No. 3396), that the resemblance between these two comets is greater than was at first supposed, the origin of the unsatisfactory large differences for the mean places having been found out. The elliptic elements, which he has now calculated, give us less reason, then, to doubt the probability of a connection between these two comets. Dr. Ristenpart compares his elements with those of comet Biela at the time of its appearance in 1852, but suggests that more observations must be used in the investigation before an accurate value of the eccentricity, and therefore of the period, can be obtained. The comparison is as follows:β
Article PDF
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Our Astronomical Column. Nature 55, 279β280 (1897). https://doi.org/10.1038/055279a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/055279a0