A Catalogue of North Polar Distances of Some of the Principal Fixed Stars

VIII. A Catalogue of North Polar Distances of some of the principal fixed Stars. By John Pond, Esq. Astronomer Royal, F. R. S. Read December 17, 1812. The catalogue which I have the honour of transmitting to the Society, is the result of a great number of observations made with the new Mural Circle, from the month of June last to the present time. I hope at no very distant period to add considerably to its precision; but I trust that in its present state, it will not be thought unacceptable to astronomers, as from the experience I have now obtained of the instrument, I may safely pronounce that it far exceeds in accuracy anything yet known in the history of practical astronomy. In the fourth column I have annexed the degree of uncertainty, or maximum of error, to which I conceive the results are liable. These numbers not being derived from any strict mathematical process, must only be considered as indicating the opinion I have formed on the subject. When the observations themselves are laid before the Society, I shall have an opportunity of stating at length on what grounds this opinion was formed. | Names of Stars | N. P. Distances begin. 1813. | No. of Observations | Maximum of Error to which this Catalogue may probably be liable | |---------------|-----------------------------|--------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------| | Polaris (Summer) | 1 41 22,07 | 120 | 0,50 | | (Winter) | 1 41 21,47 | | | | β Ursæ Min. | 15 4 48,95 | 50 | 0,50 | | β Cephei | 20 5 30,30 | 20 | 0,50 | | α Ursæ Maj. | 27 14 31,50 | 36 | 0,50 | | α Cephei | 28 12 12,35 | 20 | 0,50 | | α Cassiop. | 34 29 22,83 | 38 | 0,50 | | γ Ursæ Maj. | 35 15 55,10 | 10 | 0,75 | | γ Draconis | 38 29 31,73 | 68 | 0,25 | | η Ursæ Maj. | 39 44 57,80 | 50 | 0,25 | | α Persei | 40 48 52,37 | 26 | 0,50 | | Capella | 44 12 20,96 | 37 | 0,50 | | α Cygni | 45 22 57,19 | 40 | 0,50 | | α Lyrae | 51 23 07,72 | 70 | 0,25 | | Castor | 57 42 46,57 | 30 | 0,50 | | Pollux | 61 31 56,57 | 31 | 0,50 | | β Tauri | 61 33 43,51 | 23 | 0,50 | | α Andromedæ | 61 56 29,61 | 35 | 0,50 | | α Cor. Bor. | 62 38 55,70 | 53 | 0,50 | | α Arietis | 67 25 36,76 | 44 | | | Arcturus | 69 50 19,04 | 50 | 0,25 | | Aldebaran | 73 52 35,18 | 30 | 0,50 | | β Leonis | 74 22 57,24 | 24 | 0,50 | | α Herculis | 75 23 13,97 | 23 | 0,50 | | Pegasi | 75 47 51,77 | 20 | 0,50 | | γ Pegasi | 75 51 21,00 | 25 | 0,50 | | Regulus | 77 7 22,94 | 30 | 0,50 | | α Ophiuchi | 77 17 39,66 | 37 | | | Aquilæ | 79 50 06,2 | 38 | 0,75 | | α Aquilæ | 81 36 58,88 | 45 | | | β Aquilæ | 84 3 40,9 | 12 | 1,0† | | Orionis | 82 38 16,11 | 21 | 0,50 | | Serpentis | 82 58 39,50 | 33 | 0,50 | | Procyon | 84 18 15,03 | 20 | 0,50 | | Ceti | 86 39 07,5 | 18 | 1,0† | | Aquarii | 91 13 21,64 | 20 | 0,50 | | Hydræ | 97 51 11,30 | 10 | 0,75 | | Rigel | 98 25 33,85 | 30 | 1,0† | | Spica Virginis | 100 10 51,30 | 20 | 1,0 | | Capricor. | 103 4 35,45 | 35 | | | α Capricor. | 103 6 52,32 | 28 | | | Librae | 105 12 39,26 | 10 | | | Sirius | 106 28 07,0 | 34 | | | Antares | 116 0 16,63 | 36 | | Total No. of Observations 1452. * α Aquilæ, α Arietis, and α Ophiuchi are probably determined within a second of the truth, but I have met with some discordances in these stars which I do not comprehend; future observations will shew, whether these are accidental or arise from some periodical cause. † Those stars marked † were determined by the quadrant, its error having been determined by comparison with the circle, by other stars having nearly the same declination.