Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1843-03-24
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From the Encyclopedia of Geography.

lhe hxed stars and the planets are always visi-
bic when not ohscured by the superior light OF the
sun; but the class of bodies called COMETS are
seen only when they are in that pari of their sew.
erai paths which lies nenrest to the sun at all
other times they move through regions Of space
far beyond The reach of our vision, even when u.s.
sisted 10y The meet powerful Telescopes. The mo-
ltons OF the comets 0re, like those Of the planets,
performed in elliptic orbits according to Kepler's
laws; hut, unlike the planetary orbits The ellipses
which the comets describe are extremely eIonga-
TED so that the small portion Of their orbits thrO'
which we have an opportunity of rncing them,
comedies very nearly with paraboIn, 4 curve of
which is the limit of the epse when it's greater
axis is indefinitely increased. The nchnaIlon of
the orbits OF the comets is very various some move
IN planes almost coinculunt with the elliptic, aud
others IN planes almost perpendicular 10 IL. They
move also in very dft-ien dyeciirns, ihs motion
of sonU being direct aud OF olhsrs reirogrdde.
| The comets differ widely from The planets in
their appearance, as well MS in the figure aud po-
sition of their orbits. When n comet is first seen,
II Is ustnlly surrounded by a innty luminous va.
por, which becomes more bright the comet APP
proaches the sun, aud al length shoots out into
long luminous aud transparent ;rain, very much
resembling II Stredmer, and extending in direction
opposite TO the sun, The dense part of the com
Ell which both to the naked eye aud when viewed
through ielesrnpe, resembles much the planetary
bodies, is called the nucleus the iunty luminous
vapor by which it is surrounded is called the co
ma; and the long luminous train proceeding from
The comet in All opposite direction from the sun is
called the tail Between the nucleus and the
ina lies n part fainter than the former hut brighter
Ihan the latter in which the nucleus appears ill.,
Nolved; This is called The ht1d oi the comet.
The length of the tail is very vtrous. Some.
times II extends only few degrees; in other
srs IL has been found TO reach over more than a
fourth pari OF the heavens. II a comet does moi
come very neur The sun, the coma does not shoot
h,sf.
ny round the comet during the whole period Of
It's h"ng visible. The tail sometimes consists of
two t.. more dlverging streams OF light and is al
ways 50 transparent that the smallest stars
through 1t without any sensible dinInuIiUn OF
their hriIlIancy
Nature If Comets. IN .grs of ignorance, COM
els have always, from der extraordinary appear
ance, been sources of superslitiOus terror to man
KIND. This fear has been dlss palcd by the light
of science which has shown that the az peurauces
o. comets are regulated by the same laws as other
celestial phenomena. We are still however al
most entirely ignorant of the nature of these bod
es, though grsut many hypn'heses have been
formed concerning them. They were considered
Ivy some OF the unciens, and particularly by Arts
tote, as accidental fires or meteors generated in
the atmosphere of the earth; but tins opinion is
obviously groundless. If they were connected
win the earth or It's atmosphere, tnry would par
take oil HE dlnlnal motion of The axis, and could
not therefore appear to have II diurnal revolution
III Tile heavens along with the other celestial bod
les Besides, their hayng no diurnal parallax
proves that they ut great distance from the
earth while the fact OF their apparent motion be-
ing affected by the annual motion Of The earth,
SHOWS that they are situated IN the planetary re-
gions. Observation has demonstrated that, like
the planets tSey ere i,lNaued hUdirs, sad, ia all
probability, derive their light from The sun.
From The small portion OF the orbit OF any COM
ct winch we have an opportunity oil observing, We
nlenIs necessary for determining the period of its
rethrn hut surprising that their orbits are not dis
turhed ny any cause IN those distant regions Of
space through which the greater portion Of the
pains OF comets lie, IL is evident that by accurately
observing all The comets that come within view,
and carefully recording the results, in the course
OF ayes, the return OF many comets may be detect
ed aiid Their periodic times ascerdEed. Hence
the greater axis of the orbit of each may be deter
mined 10y keprrs bird law; and the cume's least
distance from the sun being found by observation,
The less axis will also become known. Ia this man.
ner the periodic time OF some comets has been
iound, aud their return predicted.
Danger fran COmeiS-As the comets traverse
the planetary in all directions, it is natural
TO inquire whether there is not possibility thar
some one OF them may approach near TO the
earth as greatly 10 disturb it's motion, or by ON
lua contact 10 produce the disastrous effects
Upon this subject there is no reasonable ground
Tor lear II II Is not absolutely impossible that a
comet may come in contact with the earth tho
probabilities against such an event happening are
as millions to one. Among bodies so small III
comparison with The immense space in which they
move, and moving with all veloces and in or
bits that are inclined in all directions, and of
uil dnehsons how small mus be the probability
that any Two shall come in contact! Small, how .
ever, as This probability is for any one age, il we
lake mi" account long series OF ages the proba-
hlIiIy may he greatly increased.
NJ IN oh
a shock, ii is easy 10 imagine the caamitous con-
sequences which must follow. The axis aud mo-
ton OF rotation being changed, the waters of the
ocean would leave their ancient position, aud
would be precpilated towards the new equator
A great part of the human race, aud of the lower
animals, would lie drowned by this universal del
uge, or destroyed Ivy the violent snock impressed
on the terrestrial globe. Whole species of animals
might be unnihilaled. All the monuments OF hu-
nian Industry and invention would he overIhrown.
In such catastrophe we find, too, cause ae-
quate 10 account tor the ocean having overlooked
lofty m1unaius on which il has left incOntesable
evidence of liz presence; and TO exp nm how the
animals aud plants Of the south may have existed
IN the climates of the NORTH where we fud tlld
remains and Impressions OF them. Lastly, such
an event accounts tor the recenness OF The mod =
ern world, the monuments Of which go back
scarcely 5000 years. The human race, reduced
10 small number of individuals, and TO the most
miserable condition, would tor Il long time he
mainly occupied in providing for their preserva-
llon amidst the wreck which surrounded them,
aud would lose all remembrance OF arts aud sceu-
ces, aud when, by tho progress of civilization,
they at leugth became sensible of the wait OF
these, they would find it necessary to recomnence,
as IT man hnd been newly placed upon The earth.
IL seems impossible 10 contemplate the pirture
OF the calamuy here drawn, without brlng iorc-
bly, struck with this singular coincidence THAT
II we suppose The period OF the comet OF 1850
(which in that year made considerable neer up
proach to the earlh's orbiI) to he SIS l-2 years,
AMI count back, from The year 1850, seven revolu-
,ions, or period OF 4025 years, we reach The year
23i9 before Chrst-lhe year OF the deluge, as fix
ed by chronologers
II we lake inlo consideration the great velocity
with which the comets move IN approaching TO