New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1843-03-14
From the Providence Journal.
The Comet.

The Comet.
Mr. Editor: At a moment when the public Gu
riosiy is strongly excited by the appearance of an
unlocked for and very remarkable Comet, a word
upon the subject will not be out of place.
!. Six or seven days ago vague rumors from abroad
by newspapers and otherwise, announced that
Comet was to be seen, and stiil more, that it was
to be seen at midday near the Suns disc. we
very soon satisfied ourselves that the latter part OF
this report wes unfounded, and concluded, perhaps
too hastily, the same of The former.
On the evening of Sunday, the 5th instant, the
weather being very clear the attention OF many
persons attracted TO long, slender and slightly
curved beam of iishu in the western sky, which
appearing in very transparent atmosphere and
pretty we'll Defined though not remarkably bright,
could not be coafounded with those dverging beams
which in hazy air are often in ttc west alter
snn..et On the evening of Monday, the 9th, a.
the twilight began TO fade away from perfectly
clear skv the same slender beam OF light re app
peared with increased brightness. 1t was hrst OBJ
served by The writer al o'clock. The beam COM
menced lttle a5ove the horizon, the ordinary ex-
halations not permitting 1t to BIZ seen lower, at
point o or Is degrees south of west, and with the
aid of common finder to a telescope could be
traced as or so degrees of g great circle, making
with the horizon toward the south an angle OF
about 35 degrees. The breadth at the lower point
was about degrees, or times the diameter OF
the setting sun 1t grew broader toward the upper
end-not exceeding, however, about degrees al
the widest place. AT the hour mentioned 1t was
quite well defined, notwithstanding q strong twi-
light and the presence of the moon, seven days OLD
1t was observed till litte after 3 O'Clock, when
the lower part had passed below the horizon, and
1he upper was lost in vapor and exhalations which
always exist in the lower of the atmosphere
There seems no reason to doubt that this beam
of light is the tail of comet. The body, or nu-
cieus, if there be any, is probably too nearly In
range of the sun to be seen. The direction OF the
,uil would evidently pass near the suns place, but
whether north or south of it is not certain. We
are authorized, then, to speak OF this new vslter
as a Comet; and it is certainly the most remarka-
BILE one which has been seen for at least century.
We have said that it vas unlocked for. Since
the commencement of the Christian Era, hive or
six hundred different COMETS or at least different
appearances of comets, have been noticed. Ot
this number the orbits of about lao have been
computed. The orbits are nearly all of PARADE
lie form-,hat 10, the path of the comet does not
return into itself. When it has left our system it
leaves to return no more, unless its course should
be- disturbed BY the attraction of some heavenly
body and its orbit changed.
Three comets only are known to revolve IN
Ellipses, and TO return at regular intervals. They
are the following
l. Halley's, which has period of about &c
wears. 1t passed its perihelion or nearest ap-
proach 10 the sun on the 10Th of November, 1885.
II will not again return till the year 1911.
2. Encke's, which has period OF l.3 years, or
more exactly 1907 days. This was last seen the
spring Of 1912. Its next return will be IN the
summer of lS45.
8. Biela's, which has period of about 34
years. or more exactly, 246l days. It's last return
was in 1889. The next will be III 1916.
The first of these on its last appearance, though
visible to the naked eye, was by no means con-
spicacus or impressive. It's appearance on sons
alarming in the highest degree. The two last
named, Escke's and Biea's, are so exceedingly
faint that |, requires telescopes Of considerable
power to see them at all.
l ne present comet is remarkable for the length
of its luminous train. The only conspicuous
comet within the last century, or since the great
comet of l74a, was that Of 1911 the tail of which
was % degrees in length. II has been observed
that those comets which approach very near to
the sun have their matter greatly diffused, thus
producing long tails. On this principle, the pre-.
sent come, may be supposed to be near the sun.
The following is given by Arago asi,he lengths
of the tails Of some OF the most remarkable com,
cts which are upon record -
Comss of 1911, length 90 deg.
81 of 1889, length IS deg. curved like q
Turkish sabre.
Comet of 1880, length 80 deg.
Of 1869, length 81 deg.
Thus the comets Of 1850 and 1869 might be is
the horizon setting, whils, portion of their talk
would be in the zenith. Expressed in miles, the
length of the former OF these would be more thar
s6,0O0,000.
Ne, al FIRST. entirely rejected the report that .
come, was visible in the day time wishou, the sid