The Democratic Whig. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1842-1843, 1843-03-30


ep 10 be-. streams Of electrical light.
The supports bis opinionby these
argonIenls I. "a spectator 81 q dis
tanc6 fem the earth would see the au'
rora bofedfs % the form Of a tail OPP
posile 10 The $40, as lhe tail Of comet
lies. The 'borealis has no eff
feet upon the stars seen through its
nor has the tail ofa comet The al
mostphere is known to abound with
electric matter. and the appearance OF
the electric matter 10 vacuo resembles
exactly that Of the aurora boreallss
which from is great altitude may be
considered in as perfect vacuum as
we can make. The electric ma tier
10 yacuo suffers the rays Of light 70
pass through without being affected BY
them. The tai Of a comet does not
expand hself sideways, nor does the
electric matter. Hence he supposes
The tails Of comets, the aurora borealis
and the electric fluid TO be the same
kind Of matter" II may be added 10
confirmation Of this hypothesis, that
many astronomers have observed an
unduIatory motion in the tails Of com
els, similar to what is sometimes seen
in the anrora borealis. About the close
oflhs revolutionary war, the aurora
borealis was most extensive end bril-
liant in the United States. This, with
vast undulaiions, covered the whole
northern half Of the hemisphere, collec-
ling into beautiful centre in the zenith.
To spectator on distant planet,
this might give the earth an appear
ance, resembling in some messure the
blazing efulgence OF a comet"
The opinion advancodby Dr. Hamilton, and
adopted BY Vose, may be very much strength
ened BY attaching small ball to the prime con-
dacior of an electufying machine, with a wire
two or three inches long, after attaching the
ball as above directed BY turning the machine,
dIverring streams Of electricity will Be thrown
of in manner very much resembling the 10
minous tail Of comet. THIS part OF the sub
iect / will however, leave for those 70 investi-
gate who have more timc and a wiser bead
than have
There Is another way m which this comet
may have affected cur Globe, and produced this
UNPARALLELED GOODNESS which we have been ex-
peroacng for the last month Which is by
elevatng the South pole olihe Earth. lflhen
the bod or tai Of the comet 10 electricity. Ell
Their n positive or negative state, and
the Earth in an opposite state TO that Of
the comet, that the earth would be attracted
ss the comet approached it, for nothing 10
nature has greater affinity than the two states
Of electricity. But some are ready 10 ask The
question, how is il possible for two bodies al
a. great a distance as the Earth, and comet, to
exercise an attractive Influence In answer
10 this iuterog1!ory J would say that o is an
osiahls cl aw Of nature that all attract We
bodies which are free 10 meyc mutually ap-
proach ach other
But we have further proof { this attractive
| influence in the qscelah0as u Saturn and IT.
Duer. Whel Herscbsl observed these oscel-
| l1iaas pendulum Fte m0'ions n Saturn and
Iupiicr by analogy be- inferred that this phe-
rotnanon wa, produced, BY ihe influence Of a
pllnet sull more remote q supposlti0n hch
| he .her1a.d, continued hy tc!oscopic oxper-
nncat, % the discoycfy n Uranus, now called
| Essatl lfyhen Her, aha st his immense dis
| fanre from Sa,urn and Ilpter could exercise
| such an tractNa inGIelco OYER them, as L
| proluce an oscillation NAV we not suppo e thai
| ihis comet not Ia so Tar from Us could cause
| asHisieui ELEVATION OF the South pole o throw
| ito rays oi the sun UpJn us with greater o.
Hqu',v than they otherwise would have been a
| this season o. the year.
hose who have noticed particularly the sp
| p-nsch Of the comst towards the earth, an
other c.rcum stances connected with its an
n-oach, together wlh the manner in which
d now rccedng nom Us, can at once sec tina
It's descent was over the Southeastern part q
tie earth. From the time OF is appearance
until the I7ih, il met lha horison much earle
than tho stars which it appsared even with a
. sunset, which Circumstance proves that II wa
desc ,nd.ne towards the Earh. Since the LIT
the stars meet The horizon sooner than il does
which according 10 parity freasoning prove
that e is now ascending.
The following diagram will illustrate Ii
. views Just advanced
.. d. The apparent relation Of lie Su
10 the Earth on the Dist Of March at o'cloc
A. NJ. and p NJ.
2 The apparent track Of the Sun.
, EE. The Earth, also the equator.
! s. South pole
n. Norm pole.
!. The Eanh's orbit.
, 2. The peribelion Of the comets orbit.
4 The comet az seen on the l7ih.