Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1811-10-04
ST. 8a3ette.
Martinsburgh, Oct. 4.
CO NJ E T S.

The following observations on COM
ETS, are extracted from London Maya
zine published in November, 1907
A COMET, vulgarly called blazing star
on account of its appearance, is a very ex
traordinary sight for though the nunlbe
OF them be great, yet, on account OF tn
long period of their revolution, they bu
very seldom appear. They are supPoset
to consist of a very compact and durable
substance, capable of the greatest degree
ofheat and cold without being subject t.
dissolution. ard, like the planets shining
only by reflection.
by the ancients, Comets were consider
ed as vapors, or meteors and ofethls O
lpinion was Aristotle, the celebrated Greel
Philosopher. These phenomrna's wer'
therefore treated with neglect, until tn
time OF Seneca, who observed two very re
mar kable ones, which be SCRUBBED not I,
place amongst the celestial bodies, though
he owns their motions TO be governed b,
laws not then known.
| DIR, Haley declares, that notwithstand
ing all his researches into the histories o
Comets, he too~d nothing satisfactory
until a 1onstantinopolitan historian and as
tronomer, in the year A. ID. 1887, Prett
accurately described the paths of a Come
amongst the fixed stars. The next Come
which appeared, was in the year 1872, an
was observed by Regiomantanus; it wa
the swiftest of any that have hitherto ap
lpeared, and the nearest to the earth. Ihi
Comet so dreaded on account of the magnl
tude of its body and tail, moved at the rat
of 40 degrees ola great circle IN the hes
vens, in the space Of one day, and was tn
FIRST of which we have any proper observs
Itions. In the year 1877, remarkabi
Comet visited this earth, to the study c
which Tycho Brahs sedulously applie'
himself. This great astronomer, after me-
ny faithful observations, found that it ha
no perceptible diurnal paraliax; and conse
quently could not be an aerial vapor. TJ
cho was succeeded by the sagacious Keplel
lwho discovered the true physical sysser
ofthis world.
AT length came the prodigious Comet {
1850, which descended almost perpendlc,
larly towards the sun, arose from him ;
gain with equal velocity, and was seen f
four months together. Not long after, ii
! illustrious Newton demonstrated not onl
what Kepler had found did necessarily Of
tain in the planetary system, but also tn
Comets observe the same law, moving
very long elipses round the sun, and de
cribing equal areas in equal times.
The revolutions of only two Comets E
! the number of years necessary for perform
ing journey round the SUM are know
with any certainty. The one is that whit
appeared in the years 1856, 1881, 100
1862, and 1889, and is ascertained to mo'
round the sun in rs years; it will therefor
make its appearance in 1885. The 9TH
is the Comet seen in 1880 in 1 1O6, In So
and soon after the death of Julius Casa
about forty four years before Christ. 1t
| mentioned by many historians of tho'
times, and by Pliny in his natural histor
where Augustus Cesar says concerning
. SIN the very days of our games, a hail
, star (Sydus Crinitum J was seen for da,
+ in that part of the heavens which is und
. the Septentriones; it arose about the ell
venth hour of the day, and was clearly
be seen all over the world."-The peris
of this Comet is therefore ascertained to
about five hundred and seventy FIVE yea
. old. Its next appearance will be in Il
, year 1855.
d The number of Comets belonging to o.
: system is unknown, butt has been ascel
] tanned, that more than four hundred al
E fifty have been seen, but the number who
!. orbits are settled with sufficient accuaa'