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66 years without being noticed by other chroniclers, as science was then at it its lowest ebb in Europe, and a new star of perhaps less than the first magnitude and of short duration (like the stars of 1866 and 1876) could easily escape detection. The only other contemporary author who alludes to the years 945 and 1264 is Count Hardeck, who in 1573 was Rector of the University of Wittenberg; but as his little book is dated the 1st May 1573, and that of Leovitius the 20th February, he would have had time to copy from Leovitius, and in any case it is certain that he speaks of a real comet of the year 1264, as he mentions its tail, while it is doubtful whether he means a comet or a star when speaking of 945. It has been repeatedly suggested that the star of Cassiopea might be a variable star, with a period of about three hundred years, in which case it should again become visible about the present time, but it is needless to say that the vague assertions of Leovitius form a very slender foundation on which to build such a