Abstract
THE MINOR PLANET, ANDROMACHE.—Among the small planets mentioned in the last volume of the Berliner Astronomisches Jahrbuch as having been observed at one opposition only, though several oppositions have taken place since their discovery, is No. 175, detected by the late Prof. Watson of Ann Arbor, U.S., on October I, 1877, and named Andromache. The orbit has a considerable eccentricity, and the planet recedes to a greater distance from the sun at aphelion than is the case with any other member of this now numerous group so far calculated; indeed at this point of its orbit it is distant from the sun 4.723 (the earth's mean distance being taken as unity), and only 0.594 from the orbit of Jupiter. There should be no great difficulty in recovering this planet during the month of June or in July. According to the most accurate elements calculated by Prof. Watson it will be in perihelion about July 25, and in opposition a fortnight earlier, its computed intensity of light being equal to that of a star of fully the ninth magnitude. Its considerable south declination will give an advantage to a search at one of the observatories of southern Europe. To facilitate its reobservation we subjoin positions deduced from the orbit last published:—
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Our Astronomical Column . Nature 28, 116 (1883). https://doi.org/10.1038/028116a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/028116a0