The Scientific Scrapbook

The College Observatory reported receipt of a radiogram Friday from Dr. John S. Paraskevopoulos, Superintendent of the Boyden Station of the Harvard College Observatory, in Bloemfontain, South Africa, announcing discovery of a naked eye comet of the third magnitude, having a tall of five degrees (objects of magnitude six or less are visible to the naked eye.)

Confirmation of the Paraskevopoulos comet was cabled from Cordoba Observatory, Argentine, of the independent discovery of the same comet today by three observers,--Dartayet, Bobone, and Cecilio. They report that the Paraskevopoulos comet is now of the second magnitude.

Cordoba Observatory also reports observing the Cunningham comet, which is now of the third magnitude. The two comets are now observable from the Southern Hemisphere. Observers recall no instance in many years when two such brilliant comets were visible at the same time. The Cunningham comet and the Paraskevopoulos comet are separated by thirty degrees.

The Bloomfontein Observatory reports the Paraskevopoulos comet to be in the constellation of Ara. It is 17 hours, 14 minutes right ascension, declination 49 degree south. The Cordoba Observatory reports the object is moving rapidly south and east.

This makes Dr. Paraskevopoulos' second independent discovery of a comet within the last five months. His first comet, in September 1940, was also discovered by Dr. Whipple of the College Observatory, and, though faint, is still observable in the southern sky.