Mississippi Democrat. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1845-01-22

| O ffaf. VI ~ 10 fsar
,hest from IL s,,n we have ,bs d;rac, Z,
fa,ence III, ,hars ~ Ios mn Il ~
space w;,bont ,ba o,h;, e Morcnrv I,
tba, soace occun;ed Nv ,ho rss. as ,La a..
IL ssr,an, Tfass r. ~ ,,aa 80 so,,,a,lr (.
serve5 h. rraao ,y;,S ~; ~ AM I &c Ma
cury 81 msnu u ,b;rtr can,a,s which have
Ill. ror;hal;oa ,tara;,, anS,hns ,Sa ~ ~ J
NJ cpncI,s;on tha, thsre ~ ,nov;nr i
49, svs,sr car,a;nI,, 1sn mo- e ,Sas y
bod;cs ri hs daes nj v, am bs,e W.
know Thai Il i verv d;fF;cnlt & observe N
the comets within he Mercurv,s orbit from
lis proximity 10 Inc sun. and i i there.
fare hipblv improhpble hit more tban ball
the number have been seen. There ~
doubtless. saws Aroneo. al least sixtv. and
thus we conclude that there are 70 less
than 100000 comets in our solar sys-
tenn. Indeed, the planets Of The system
are beyond doubt fitting ,brouce n swarm
Of 1900 900 comets.
Now. with such facts rs these devel.
oped to our consideration. we are natll.
rally anxious 10 learn something Of the
character Of these bodies. and what are
the chances Of the interruption Of our sys-
tenn bv them. Such questions are ration.
al and appropriafe. we find. frst. that
the great majority Of comets are bodies
destitute Of solidity. in fact. thew ara com.
nosed of an exceedino hin at,anuatad w.
nor % hin lint III ara anahled y 500
tba smallast telascon;c store ,bro,oh Il .
verv hodv ~ Tho cornot a. lam Har
sebsl sa;d H. lsch,rar oss,,rad ~ sona
,;me since n Enaland IN, h. baJ saan
,brouab H. very ceo,re &c come, s' :
cIusts, ~ stars 4 ~ s;x,sentb IL Ur;,,,de
ne smallest Lnown q ,be ,eIsscon;c obser'
na s ~ - r,;an,a ~. ~ s,sa,Iss,
m;s, ,bs th;nest has 4 o,,r a.nosnhars
,yonId conceal ,ham s.on ~. n;au, W,
thew have been sean tbronab = globnta,
mass comnos;no S,ba h,,dv or ! cor,e.
40 do m;Ies ;5 ,h;cLness a. d;.me,sr
Thus ,h;s mass &c vanor ,n,,st 10 e. : s'ore
a,,erna,ed ,ban III ;tsalf. moss at,ansa.
IA tbon anv vac',un which u csn no.
duce IL ,he mos, narlect a;r.numn we can
constrrct, and W. ara aka - nrod,,ce :
vacuum "a which ID Respiratory creature
can l;ye. mr. The aame of ] candIa bprn
for sjnoIe moment. And this vacuum,
wo,,ld. IA snch \ STATE. he even massive
compared with the vapor Of which ne co.
met is composed. But this is not to be
unhesitaingly assumed Of all the comets.
Some astronomers believe that all are
not mere ariform matter, and that it IS
probable that there are some which are
composed Of solid matter. This opinion
is based chiefly upon the belief that the
great degree Of brightness which ema.
mates from them is superior to what could
possibly emanate from body composed
merely Of unsubstantial or arilorm matter.
The probability is from this fact that there
are d few which possess d certain degree
Of solidity.
Another and very remarkable quality Of
the comet. and which indeed constitutes IN
many cases It's chief character. is The be.
culiar appendaqe Familiarity known as The
tail. This is. indeed. BY many supposed
% BE- an inseparabIe adjunct Of comets /;
but i, is SO far from being SO that we find
a great number of comets have no tail al
aIif and indeed It IS an appendage which
Is observable only when the comet comes
into the more immediate region Of the sun.
The question then presents ITSELF what are
the tail Of comets, and what IS the cause
~ 49, - III. I. r,,a.+;o,, cua.LI,,
admit, much more easily asked than an.
swered. All we know Of them Ii that
they are COMPOSED Of luminous matter, so
exceedingly thin and Transparent that we
distinctly see the smallest stars through
the very midst OF them. But their most
remarkable character is their enormous
aud almost incredible magnitude. The
mos. learned aud asiuio astronomers have
instituted enquiry ia vain. There have
been made two suggestions, mere sugges-
tons, protesting 10 explain the causes,