Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1843-03-23
"THE STRANGE LIGHT"

'<1E4ydroeraphicaI Office, Ma ch 10, 1845,
On Monday morning. 9th, our atten-
was called't to a paragraph in the newspa-
pers. stating that comet was visible
near the sun at midday with the naked
eye. The sky was clear; but, not being
able to discover anything with the unas-
sisted eye, recource was had to a telps-
cope, without any better success. A.
bout sunset in the evening, the exanina-
ton was renewed with great diligence;
hut to 40 purpose. AS the stars began
TO peep cut. observers were multiplied;
CapeIia, Right, Beta (B) in the Bull
Delta in Orion, and Alpha (A) in the
Hare, came to the meridian, ard their
transts were marked by one observer;
while another, with close attentions,
watched through the fading light of the
western horizon for the comet and its
tail. The last faint streak Of day gilded
zshe west, beautiful and delicate feeces
Of sender cloud curtaIned the bed of the
sun, the upper sky was studded with
stars, and all hopes of seeing the comet
that evening had vanished.
Soon after we had retired, the officer
of the watch announced the appearance
Of the comet in the west. The phenom-
enon was sublime and beautiful. The
needle was greatly aeitated; and a
strongly marked pencil of light was
streaming up from the path Of the sun. in
an obl.que DIRECTION. to the southwark
aud eastward; its edges were parallel.
1t was about deg. so min. broad, and
80 deg. long. Stars could be seen
twinklng through it, and no doubt was
at first entertained but that this was the
tail Of the comet. The officer Of the
watch was directed TO search the eastern
sky with the telescope in the morning.
from early dawn and before, till sun
rise. Nothing strange or uncommon was
noted by him.
Tuesday was beautiful day: the air
was still and the sky clear. With the
aid of the telescopes, regular and sys-
tematic examination IF the heavens was
commenced. Every point Of space with
in Is deg. of the sun, in all directions,
was passed and repassed over and over
again. through the field of the telescopes,
and minutety examined, in the hope OF
discovering the comet Itself. The entire
day was occupied in thus exploring that
portion of the heavens. In the afternoon.
black spot, in shape not unlike a liber.
~ cap, was discovered on the SUM-
But the~day was fast declining, and with
the fading light Of evening the interest
was too intense to turn away from the
telescope for other and more exact obser-
syations upon this spot.
The sun set clear, gliding, as it sunk
below the hills, a narrow streak of aoaat
cloud, seen through the tree-tops beyond
the Potomac.
$ The ''tail' had appeared Of great
length for the first time the evening be-
lore; therefore we expected TO find its
length this evening greatly increased -
IL Was a. moment Of intense enterest
when the first stars began to appear
The last rays Of the sun still fingered on
the horizon; and at this moment, Just a.
bout the region of the upper crepuscu-
lum. well-defined pencil Of hairy light
was seen pointing towards the sun.
AT 5h. 41m., slderiaI time, the first
measurement of length Of the s.taiI'' was
taken; il measured 4 1 deg, to the hori-
zon. At, Oh. 19m. it.had become most
distinct. 1t was then l deg. Ism. broad
and SIS Jeg. long, not including the part