New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1843-03-11
FEB. 1913.
The Comet.


concur in the belief that it is bona tfde Comet,
albei, it shows no head-some saying that it has
none and Others that it is so tie Sun to sink
beneath the horizon before it becomes visible.
The Washington papers, however, fatty deny that
it has any rightful claims to Cometic dignity-but
that it is nothing than 6ne exhibition of 70
diacal Light, of which it gives the following de-
scription:--
zODIACAL LIGHT.
This interesting phenomenon in the heavens was
noticed here Monday night and also on Tues
day and Wednesday nights.
Zediacal light appears in the morning before
sunrise and in the evening after twilight. 1t is
pyramid, with the sun for its basis. The sides
not straight but curved, as those Of lens when
viewed edgewse. 1t is generally seen about the
period of the equnoxes when there is the shortest
twilight This light resembles the milky way,
faint twilight or the tail of comet. The intensity
of the light its shape and tints may be varied ac-
cording TO the condition of the atmosphere, which
is now remarkable for its cearness.
The zodiacal light was first described about two
centuries ago, and the various theories respecting
it may be seen by referring TO works on astronomy
The subjoned description Of this light, which
we copy from the Encyclopedia Americana, will,
we dare say be acceptable to our readers, and es-
with the apprehension that this atmospheric Phe-
nomeuon was Comet, such as
terror sheds
On gazing nations, from his hery train
OF length enormous.
"Zop1AcAL LIaHr-A triangular beam of light,
rounded little the vertex, which is at GER
tain seasons Of the year. before the rising and after
the setting of the sun. II resembles the fantlight
of the milky way, and has its base always turned
towards the sun, and its axis inclined to the hori-
zen. The length of this pyramdsl light, reckon
ing from the sun as its base, is sometimes 40 de-
grees, and at others $50 degrees; and the vertical
angle is sometimes &c degrees, and sometimes 10
degrees. Its generally supposed to arise from an
atmosphere surrounding the sun, and appears to
have been first observed by Descartes and by
Chdrey in 1859; but it did not attract general at
ten,ion I'LL it was noticed by Dominique Cassin',
(q.v. who gave II its present name. 1t we sup
pose the sun to have atmosphere, as there IS
every reason to believe from the luminous aurora
which appears to surround his disc in total
ecpses, it must be very much hattened at its
poles, and sweed out at the equator, by the CEN
trifugsl force of his equatorial parts. When the
sun, thea, is below the horizon, a portion OF this
luminous atmosphere will appear like pyramid
of light above the horizon. The obliquity OF the
zodiaca light will evidently vary with the obliquiy
Of the suns equator to the horizon; and In the
months of February and March, about the time
Of the vernal equinox it will form very great an
gle with the horizon, and ought therefore, TO be
seen most distinctly at that season of the year
But when the 10 in the summer solstice, he is
in the part of the eclptic which is parallel TO the
equator, and consequently the zodiacal light is
more oblique to the horizon. Laplace, however,
has made some objections to this thcor; is his Ne
chanique Celeste; and Regner is of opinion ,hatll
is owing merely Eo the refracton OF the solar light
BY the earth's atmosphere.
The Madisonian ACIDS -
Cassni often mentions the great resemblance OF
the zodiacal lights the tails OF comets NJ. alto
has made the same observation; and Euler endes'
vored 10 prove them owing TO similar causes. Inc
extent of the zedacaI light, from the sun to It's
point, is seldom less than 45, and sometimes l5o
degrees in length. The light seems to have no
other motion than that of the Itself. l. bright
ness resembles that of the milky way; and from
its shape we should suppose it to be the same me-
teor called trades by ancieRts, from its resem-
blance in form to beam or rafter.
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