New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1843-03-13
From tb- National Intelligencer.

The Strange Light.
HyoaoekApHcAL OFFICE, March 10, l5iS.
On Monday morning., the 6th, our attention was
called TO paragraph In the newspapers stating
that COMET visible near TIE sun at rnd-cay
with the naked eye. The sky was clear; but, not
being able discover any thing WITH tue uhassiseeo
ave, recourse was had TO telescope, without any
better success. About sunset IN the evening the
examination was renewed with great diligence, bat
TO no purpose. AS the stars began 70 peep out,
observers were multi piled. Capeia, III gu, Beta
(B) in the Bull, Delta in Orion, and Aipha "a IN
the Hare, came the meridian, and their transits
were marked by one observer; while another, with
close attention, watched through the fading hghi
of the western horizon for the Comet and us tall
The last fam, streak of day gded the west bean
tifu! and delicate AeecAs OF Gender cloud curtained
The bed of the sun, tr>s upper sky was studded
with stars, and all hopes OF seeing Inc Couet taat
evening had vanished.
Soon after we had RETIRED the officer OF the watch
announced the appearance of The Comet IN the
west. The phenomenon was subline and beautl-
full TAe needle was greatly agitated; and
strongly marked pencil of light was streaming up
from the path of the sun in an obque direction
10 the southwark and eastward; It's edges were
parallel. II was about deg. 80 min broad and
80 deg. long. Stars could be seen twinkilng
through it, aud no doubt at first entertained
but tina, this Yves the tail OF the Comet L ne 9TH
Ger Of the watch directed 10 search the eastern
sky with the telescope in the morning, iroR early
dawn, and before, till sunrise. Nothing strange OF
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 systematic examination OF the hea-
vens was commenced. Every point OF space within
Is deg. of the sun, in all directions, was passed
and repassea over and over again, through the
field of the telescopes, ana minutely examined, III
the hope of discovering the Comet itself / he
entire day was occupied in thus exploring that
NORTON of the heavens In the afternoon black
SPOT, in shape not unlike liberty cap, was dis
covered in The sun. But the day was fast declin-
Ing, and with the fading hight OF evening the IN
terest was TOO Intense turn away from the teie-
scope for other and more exact observations upon
This spot.
The sun was clear, gliding, as it sunk below the
hills, narrow streak Of soame cloud, seen through
the trse.,ops beyond the Polomac
The tail !" had appeared OF great length TOR
the first time the evening before; therefore we
expected TO And It's length this evening greatly in
creased. 1t moment ct intense interest
when the FIRST stars began to appear. The last
reys of tho suli fingered on the horizon; ana
at this moment, just about the region OF the upper
crepusculun1, we.dehaed pencil OF hairy light,
sderial time, the first measurement OF length OF
the "a tail was taken; it measured Al deg to the
horizon A, 6b. l9m. 1t had become most distinct
Il was then deg. 45m. broad, and So deg. long
not including the part below the horizon, which,
suppos!ng lis terminus TO be near the sun, couic
not, owing TO the oblque angle which it made witt
the horizon, be less than 10 o, Is degrees more
It now commenced gradually to fade away, and
in a short time had entirely disappeared. rs
morning observations were diligently renewed, ou
nothing could be seen worthy OF noe
Wednesday, flying masses OF Cirrus stratus
occasionally ,oascured the sun; bu. preparations
were made for determining the right ascension anc
declinetion OF the spot on the disc OF the sun
if, perchance that spot Should prove TO be the nu
cleus OF the comet. AT the clouds breke
away from the sun, and, though the glass was o
feeble power, the well-dehned dark spo, was ais
tincty seen throughit it. Tue instrument itself was
graduated TO seconds, with microme.er readings
and, while the sun was In transit, observation
for appa ent rigut ascension and decilnation OF
the spo, were made with the hope of reporting
them the next day, and thence deducing its motions
during the interval. 4 thickiy clouded SKY al! o
Thursday and SO far of Friday GO A. M witt
every prospect of continuance, mas not permlttee
this hope to be realized. Most of tho Afternoon
of Wednesday the sun was obscured, or but dlml.
seen tntOugE masses OF iiitCiNSLa'S SioaoS' IL
however, set in clear and narrow streak OF red
dish sky, which was covered up BY bank OF
clouds 10 deg. high. Above this mass and upwards
the sky was, for the most psrt, clear; and though
evening was not favorable for the appearance OF q
"zodiacsl hght," the clear sky was watched with
eager but confident expectation of sgain seeing the
same beautiful phenomenon, which had excited our
admiration and wonder for the two evenings pre-.
vious. Accordingly at 5h. 54m. siderial time, and
much TO the delight Of all present, this beautiful
streak of light was dimiy seen. In twenty minutes
afterwards i. was most distinct spanning the
southwestern sky with faint nebuous arch, that
reached away beyond Sirius to the East, and rest
ed on Epsilon in the constellation OF the Grea,
Dog. 1t measured IS degrees in length above the
horizon, far below which it seems TO extend. AZ
sh. 24n just thirty minutes from its FIRST appear
anee, this magnificent spectacle was lost in the
gathering clouds.
The next morning observations in the east were
again renewed before, but without discovering
any traces of nucleus, tail, zodiacal light.
The sky has remained completely overcast up so
the hoar of writing. and 10 opportunity has occur
red for repeating the observations, by which the
motions (if any of the spot over The suns disc
might DO approximated.
Such. up to the present time, is the history; and
spch has been the appearance Of this phenomenon,