Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1843-03-24
From the Providence Journal.
THE COMET.

ehAo
Mr.. Editor At a moment when the public
curiosity is strongly excited by the appearance
Of an unlocked for and very remarkable Comet,
. word upon the subject will not be out of place.
Six or seven days ago vague rumors from
abroad by newspapers and otherwise, annoumc.
ed that a Comet was to he seen, and still 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 was unfounded, and
concluded, perhaps too hastily, the same Of the
former.
On the evening of Sunday, the 5,h instant, the
weather beiny very clear, the attention Of many
persons was attracted to a long, slender and
slightly curved beam Of light in the western
sky, which appearing in a ver,' transparent at
n'osphere and pretty well defined, though not
remarkably bright, could not be COMPOUNDED with
those diverging beams which in a hazy air are
often seen in the west after SUNSET. On the
evening Of Monday. the 9th, as the twilight be.
gan to fade away from a perfectly clear sky, the
same slender beam Of light re.appeared with in
creased brightness. 1t was first observed by
the writer at 7 o'clock. The beam commenced
= little above the horizon, the ordinary exhala.
tons not permitting it TO be seen lower, at a
point 10 or Is degrees south Of west, and with
the aid Of a common finder TO a telescope could
be traced As or 30 degrees of a great circle,
making with the horizon towards the south an
angle Of about IS degrees. The breadth at the
lower point was about 2 degrees, or a times the
diameter Of the setting sun it grew broader
toward the upper end-not exceeding, however,
about 3 degrees at the widest place. At the
hour mentioned it was quite well defined, not
outstanding a strong twilight and the presence
Of the moon, seven days old. 1t was observed
ill a little after 8 O'Clock, when the lower part
had passed below the horizon, and the upper
was lost in vapor ard exhalations which always
exist in the lower strata of the atmosphere.
There seems no reason TO doubt tina: this beam
eflight is the tail Of a comet. The body, or MI.
cleus. il there be any. is probably too nearly in
range of the sun TO be seen. The directions OF
the tail would evidently pass near the suns
place, but whether north or south of it is no,
certain. We are authorized, then, to speak Of
this new visitor as a Comet and it is certainly
the most remarkable one which has been seen
for at least a century.
We have said that it was unlocked for
Since the commencement of The Christian Era,
FIVE or six hundred different comets, or at leas,
different appearances Of comets. have been no.
t'ced. Or this number the orbits of about lac
have been computed. The orbits are nearly
all ofa p~arabolic fnrm-that is, the path of the
comet does not return into itself. When il has
left our system, it leaves to return no more, un.
less its course should be disturbed by the attrac
sion OF some heavenly body and its orbit chang
cd.
Three comets only are known to ~revolve il
ElliPses. and to return at regular intervals
They are the following:
]. Halley's which had a period OF about Il
years. II passed its peribelion or nearest ap
proach TO the sun on the 18th of Nov, 1885. /
will not again return till the year 1911.
2. Encke's, which has a period of 3 l.3 wears
or more exactly 1907 days. This was las, seer
the spring of 1912. Its next return will be i,
the summer Of lS45.
3. Biela's, which has a period of about 6 g.
years, or more exactly, 246l days. Its last re
turn was in 1889. The next will be in 1886.
The first of these on its last appearance
though visible to the naked eye, was BY m
means conspicuous or impressive. Its appear
ance on some of it's previous visits, is describe,
~ terrific and alarming in the highest degree
The two last named, Encke's. and Biela's, ar
90 exceedingly faint tina, it requires telescope
Of considerable power to see them at all.
The present comet is remarkable for the lengtI
Of is luminous train. The only conspiciou
comet within the last century. or since the grea
m Of l744, was that Of 1911. the tail of whic
was % degrees in length. 1t has been obser,
that those comets which approach very near I
the sun have their matter greatly difused, TN
producing long tails. On this principle. the Or,
/ sent comet may be supposed to be near the su