The Sun.
London, England, 1861-07-06 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE srx.

SlR,—Allow me to draw attention to a circum-
stance relating to the present comet which escaped
my notice when I sent my communication on the
3d inst., but which is one possessing some interest.
It appears not only possible, but even probable,
that in the course of Sunday last the earth passed
through the tail at a distance of perhaps two-
thirds of its length from the nucleus.

The head of the comet was in the ecliptic at 6
p.m. on the 28th of June, distant from the earth's
orbit 13,600,000 miles on the inside, its longitude,
as seen from the sun, being 279 deg. 1 min. The
earth at this moment was 2 deg. 4 min. behind that
point, but would arrive there soon after 10 p.m. on
Sunday last. The tail of a comet is seldom an
exact prolongation of the radius vector, or line join-
ing the nucleus with the sun ; towards the ex-
tremity it is almost invariably curved; or, in
other words, the matter composing it lags behind
what would be its situation if it travelled with
the same velocity as the nucleus. Judging from the
amount of curvature on the 30th, and the direction
of the comet's motion as indicated by my orbit
already published, I think the earth would very
probably encounter the tail in the early part of
that day, or, at any rate, it was certainly in a region
which had been swept over by the cometary matter
shortly before.

In connexion with this subject I may add that on
Sunday evening, while the comet was so conspi-
cuous in the northern heavens, there was a peculiar
phosphorescence or illumination of the sky, which
I attributed at the time to an auroral glare ; it was
remarked by other persons as something unusual,
and, considering how near we must have been on
that evening to the tail of the comet, it may per-
haps be a point worthy of investigation whether
such effect can be attributed to our proximity
thereto. If a similar illumination of the heavens
has been remarked generally on the earth's surface,
it will be a significant fact.
On Wednesday, at midnight the tail of the comet
was 100 deg. in length, terminating near the star
Gamma Ophiuchi.
I am, Sir, your most obedient servant,
J. R. HIND.
Mr. Bishop's Observatory, Regent's
Park, July 5.

HA YMARKET THEATRE.

MR. BUCKSTONE'S BENEFIT.

The annual benefit of Mr. Buckstone, which is always
one of the principal events in the Haymarket season, will
take place on Friday next, July 12th. A new Comedy will
be produced on the occasion, with a new Ballet, and the
beneficiaire will speak an address. Through so long a series
of years has Mr. Buckstone, as author, actor, and
manager, contributed to the amusement of the public, that
the mere mention of any opportunity being afforded for
a special recognition of the obligation the laughter-lovers
of the metropolis are under to him, will be sufficient to
secure for him a throng of eager supporters. That the
house will be crowded on that evening may be looked for-
ward to as a certainty, for the extra attractiveness of the
programme would alone ensure a full attendance ; but,
coupled with the name that is invariably associated with
rich humour of the most genial kind, the beneficfaire will
find his chief difficulty will be to find room for those who
wish to acknowledge the enjoyment they have derived
from it.