Hannibal journal. (Hannibal, Mo.) 1852-1853, 1853-09-15
COMETS


has so lately been seen in our western evening
sky, our interest is naturally excited to know
something more in relation to them.
Comets are flaming meteors, Of peculiar
appearance, having brighter or denser head,
or nucleus, and either surrounding hazy
. brightness, or a long bright, hairy train, or
tall
What is their composition is unknown, and
various are the conjectures concerning it. 1t is
certain that they contain but very little matter,
for they exert but little influence upon bodies
near which they pass. The nucleus Of some
appears Opaque, like planet. That Of others
is transparent; and others, again, have no nu-
cleus, but are transparent throughout their
whole extent. The envelop, or train, or tail,
is more or less thin and transparent, and the
stars and other heavenly bodies are seen
through It.
When comet is seen at distance from the
sum- through good telescope, it resembles
dense vapor, surrounding the nucleus, and
flowing far out into the regions OF spec. As
il approaches the sun, its lglt gradually be-
comes more brili.nt, i'll IT comes nearest 10 the
sun, when it glares with light inferior only to
the sun ITSELF
When comet, as Is usually the case mas
tail bis tail, or train, is always turned from the
sun; so thlt, while the comet Is aPPfo'c"'HE
the SUI, IFS ra'n foaows ~ but when II Is az
parting from The sun ITS tram goes o9oTs -
often cuT'lng forward IN the direction 'o"s'-
which '1r o.dy Is gong.
The substanee OF which the tram is COM p's'"'
as wei. as lAg- Of the body ltse' is ma IN ihys-
terry "Iycho Brahe and Appan supposed 'heir
tails to 0e produced by the rays Oh ''.e sum-
TRANSMITTED 'hrough 'he huo'eu'' "'''0
supposed to be transparent and to operate as
lens. hepler thought ihey were 0ecaS.oneu "
the atmosphere OF the comet eI'VeI Oh " vac
impulse OF the suns rays or lSaac No".0''
conjecsured that they were d INN N'P0i' "i,o'"e
from the heated nucleus, as smoke ascehaS from
the earth; while d. ii.'n'a.oH SUPPOS'N ''''''
10 be streams ol
The shape and number oil 'hese tal'S 10 0l'e',
remarkaoie. Ihe '"'i q . 1'''S' = '@,'es1' ,eeo
nearly quarter oi G'tTi' anu O-T osnt 1-
was curved IKE u. .A'''i ..l;.L -.
of l144 had at one 'lne 81" 'o'''' "'l'0' rI. rr
Pealeu anu "''"PP o,,oy,d;r,, n.
comet OF 1875 haa i~o t"iiS' o''0
tCaId the sum- and the o'ler J'O"' y,
comet appeared win llS 'ali a' i'e''' T's-,
quartering' to the sum 00ne'''"o' ,r,,,
are OF vast leng !" ""' - - ' Lo asn;,h 70 the
comet OF 1851 extended lIo'' '''e ~e',, ioa,h.
horizon, and was So'ooo'oo" ., ono ,,l,-''
and that Of 1911 was loo'o0o'00C' % n.iu
Comets are peculiar LOT ''' RON" -
orbits. The orbit oil planet ieSeiH0'''
uh,el; that OF comet reseihoieS ""'I'
tened, or much longer IN Ohe u'i'''''' ''''' -
the other.
They are also remarkable ,o' 'ne '''' u .;. 'l',;
motion. AS 'hey 60 'ar'her i'o'l w '' ''...or
mouoh oecoin'S S'o" - '''I '.,,,L .c
as they travel away INTO 'Ae "''s"'S ''P''
space; while, after they have turned anu 's".'
approach the sun their motion becomes ''''''-
nually quicker. Hn'il at t' ''en '"'y
wheel arouni h"> I'LL
him, they mo. he NOS ...ri"' 70
One of these b. in tbs s.u''''.' .
with a veil city 100 lines gre.,.r ."."
,na,,,l o,..r .,, ..rc. ~ one fsadrgI and twenty
60. Il, .a,y