Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1853-10-04

COMETS AND THEIR NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
mers have devoted volumes to the subject of comets,
and it is well calculated 10 llt The mind above all
subunary things, and to inspire feeling OF awe at
the wonders OF creation. According TO DR.. Dix,
the real diameter Of the nebulosity oil comet, in
creases proportionatey it becomes distant from
the sun. Hevetlus appears to have been the first
who made this observation, for until his time an op.
poste opinion maintained. As the tails Of
comets increase in length they approach the their
perheila, so it was generally considered that The
nebuosites followed the same law. But the obser.
walton, which were time since made on Biela's
comet. confirmed the theory Of 4elveus Some.
times the tails Of comets occupy immense space
in the heavens That of the comet Of 1880, was
estimated at 1l2 100000 Of miles. Sir w Her.
schel estimated the length of the tail of the great
comet, which appeared in 1911, at 100 900 or
space larger Than the whole distance of between
the earth aud the sun. lis breadth vas calculated
at about 10, 600 600 Of miles.
Philosophers have differed in relation to these
Ibng IA aims of light. Tycho Brach supposed them
10 be the light Of The sun transmitted through the
the nucleus OF the comet, which he believed 10 he
transparent like lens. Keper thought that the
impusion OF the solar rays drove away the denser
parts OF the comets atmosphere, and thus formed
the tail. Sir Isaac Newton supposed it to he him
Vdpur raised by the heat OF the sun from the comet
DR. Hamilton thought it stream Of electric mat.
ter II, says Dr.. Dick, these trains consist Of vapor
tend to such prod gious length through space, and
why should it he Illuminated through IT'S whole ex.
tent. The mnsl splendid comet of modern times
waslha OF 1880. It's tail reached from the zenith TO
the horizon, an extent Of 90=. When nearest the
sun, II cal, ulaed 10 have been within $50 900
miles OF his surface, and its rate of motion al that
time computed 10 have been about million Of
miles an hour. The period Of lis revolution round
the gin calculated al 575 years, 5, that it will
not again wish this part oI the system until A. ID.
2255.
curious question is discussed in the Celestial
Scenery" namriy, whether comet may ever come
IN contact with the earth and produce concussion
DIR Dick says thar comets move in orbits which
form extremely elongated elipses; as they move in
all imaginable directions; they traverse almost
every part OF the solar system in returning from the
lmthest verge Of their excursions; as they penetrate
within The interior OF the planetary orbits-even
within the Orbu of Mercury, and cross the orbits of
the earth and the other planets, is MT impossible
that comet may come in contact with our globe
An apprehension of such event produced a con
siderable degree OF alarm Ilr Continent ut differ.
en periods, particularly in 1773 and 1882, as for.
merry stated. But when we consider the immense
cublcdl space occupied by the planetary system in
which the comets move, and compare il with the
small capacities Of these bodies and when we take
into view certain mathematical calculations in refer.
ence TO the subject, the probability Of a shock from
comet is extremely small.
"let us suppose" says Arago, GA comet of which
we only know that al its perhrIiun ii is neale the
sua than are, and that its diameter is one f3auth
OF the earth, the calculation of probabilities shows
that OF Isl 900 900 Of chances there is only on
uniavolabe-lbere exists hui hich can produce
collision between the two bodies. As for the neb
utosty, in lis most general Dimensions the chances
VIII be from ten 10 twenty in the same number Of
two hundred and eigh'y.one millions. Admitting
then, Tor a moment, that the comets which may
strike the eath with their nuclei would annIhiate
the whole human race, then the danger Of death to
each individual, resulting from he appearance Of an
anhnown comet, would be exacty equal to the risk
he would run If in an urn there was only one single
white ball Of a total number of 2Sl 900 600 balls,
and that his condemnation to death would be the
inevitable consequence Of the white ball being pro.
duced al the first drawing''