Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1843-03-18
From the Encyclopaedia Of Geography.
COMETS

bodies called comets are seen only when
they are IN that part Ufthe several paths
which lies nearest TO the sun; at a /
times they move through regions OF
space far beyond the reach ofour vision,
even when assisted by the most power
tut telescopes. The mJiions Of the Com
cts are, like those OF the planets. rer-
formed IN elliptic orbits,th eli Sos VIA CHI
the comets describe are extremely e!on.
galed, 50 that the smal! portion OF their
osbt through which we have an oppor.
tunlty Of tracing them, couci les very
ncar,y with paIabo.a, the curve of
VIII ca is tive limit OF the ipSe when i s
Irea;cr axis Is indefinitely increased -
fne INCLINATION ul the orbits Of The plan
cts nearly pCrpcndtcular 10 IT. They
move also IN very different directions,
the M 'tIOn Of some being direct. aud of
others retrUgade
The comets dIler widely from their
planets in their appearance, as well as
IN the hgu.e aud position Of their orbits
When comet IS first seen, il is usually
surrounded b. Il family luminous va.
pour. winch becom"s more bright as the
comet approaches the sun, aud at length
shoots out in long luminous and trans
parent tram, very much resembling Il
streamer, and eX ending IN II direction
opposite 10 the sun The dense part OF
IA comet which DO h t. the naked eye.
and when viewed through the tc cscop q,
resembles much the planetary bD lies is
called the nucleus; tn" faint luminous
s"Por oy whlch IL IS Surrouaied Is cal
'ou '"' co''', an inc lohg luminous
u an prosecuting IrOn the cOmct IN an
oPP"S't' III ec''oh from me sun Is called
TIC tai between the nucleus aud the
coma 'i'Sa Par' Ia nter than tee TORN r.,
ou' D''ShIer 'hah the latter, and IN
" n'ch me huc Gus seems lnvoYei, this
- "a "a, eI Tue he!u ol me @"in L
= ne 'eh@lh o' me TAN IS very various
sometimes IL eN'rn IS only lew d grces
III o'"er ca'IS IL mas o'rn Iolnl 10 reach
over more 'hah Iuurlh artu the hea
Ne"S comet u1e' not come very
uI" '"c sun me coma 'oes nDi shoot
mo I'd l. o"' retains inc Appearance
u 'o'''! I"u.u the co net during
ne "hoie PERIOD OF IIc being visible
!. NC tan 50 .he''|lcS consists ol or 3
"Nei S'nS streams OF DSht, and Is al
Ways 80 transparent mat me smtiesi
s'"'S are seen through IL without any
ScnS'o'e ammunition oil lhelr bril- fancy.
NATURE OF oMEIs N ages Of igno-
''|C"' co'hStS nave Always, lr m their
eA 'r"orulnary appearance, been sources
y. s"PcrSli'i Gus terror 10 mankind -
MS ichr mas d cn dISSIPatrd by the
io"' OF Secure, winch mas shown that
me appearances o. comets are regulated
y ''e same Jaws as other celestial pms
"',.''n' we are Nu However, almost
"I'l''l Ign ''o'it t'e "a'uIe at these
700 ''hou Sh eat many hypothesis
1--we r. ., Gu formed concerning them -
'"ey were cohSidercl ny some OF the
''Cie"'S' an particular % Aristotle, as
'oc,uen'"i HreS ana m tcorS generated
III me atmosphere oi the EARTH but this
"P'"'on Is OFiou'ly gr"uhiIeSS. II they
''Ic C"hnccieG WIN the earth or lis a.
P"'re lhey woIId pa take OF the d.
= ""' 'i'''o" D 'N1 axis ahd cou d not
'o'e'"'o "pPe"r ~ ave u'ufn rev
,'u'''" III t"e "G''IhS ohS WIN me
''o' e'CS'-"l ood'eS. b'sid : IN IT hav
ing no u'urAai ParaIIaX proves that They
arc Il great distance IRON the earth;
! ''''o ~, -. ''0, VI 'nelF apparent inouon
Oe'nS "lec'eu Oy the annual motion OF
'"' carl Sh""S IhAt 'hey are situated
haJ "a J'., $500 'So"n CoS rFa'!"n
thny ore rna 90, ,,'t - inc 'a'o pane 5,
.nroI,, b;,;,y - ,Lo;- ''"" !" a.
snn gu ''o'i' inc
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