Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1853-05-05

THE COMETOF 1856.

THE COMET OF 1856.
The following interesting details respecting the
comet which is expected to make its appearance
about the year 1856, are given by NJ Babinet an
eminent French astronomer, and member of the
Academy of Sciences, in article recently cop
led in the Covrrier des Etats Unis. We avail
ourselves of translation of it which we find in
the Boston Traveller:
This comet is one Of the grandest of which hiss
torians make mention Its period of revolution is
about three hundred years. 1t was seen in the
wears lO4, 1872, 683, 975, 1864, and the last time
ia 1856. Astronomers agreed in predicting its
return in 184e; but it failed to appear-manque
au RENDEZVOUS, according to the expression of nj.
Babinet-apd continues to shine still, unseen by
u.s. Already the observatories begin to be alarm
ed for the fate of their beautiful wandering star.
Sir John Hersche himself had put u Grape upon
his telescope when learned calculator OF Mid
dIebourg, M. Bonnie, reassured the astronomical
world of the continued existence of the venerable
aud magnificent comet.
Disuuieted, as all other astronomers were, by
the non-arryal of the comet atthe expected time,
NJ ..Bonne, aided by the preparatory labors of
Mr.. Hind, with patience truly Dutch, has re-
Wis I'D all the calculations and estimated all the
actions of all the planets upon the comet for three
hundred years of revolution. The result of this
patient labor gives the arrival of the comet in
August, 1858, with uncertainty of two years,
more or less; so that from 1856 to 1860 we may
expect the great comet which was the cause of
the abdication of the Emperor Charles w. in 4
1856 '.ff'T= aesi
It's known that, partaking of the general SUI
perstition, which interpreted the appearance of
comet as the forerunner of some fatal event,
Charles v. believed that this comet addressed its
menaces particularly to him as holding the first
:. md
wise, but now wearied and shattered monarch,
had been for some time the victim of cruel re-
verses There were threatening indications In
the political, if not in the physical horizon OF a
still greater tempest to come. He was lett to
cry 10 despair, '.Fortune abandons old men,
The appearance of the blazing star seemed to
him an admonition from heaven that he, must
cease to be sovereign if he would avoid fatili-
ty from one which without authority might be-
spared. It is known that the Emperor survived q
his abdication but little more than two years.
Another comet which passed near us in 1885,
and which has appeared twenty live times
since the year I3 before the Christian era,
has been associated by the superstitious with
many important events which have occurred near
the periods of its visitation. s. t-.sr,ls "a.
In 1866 William the Conqueror landed in Eng
land at the head of a numerous army about the
time that the comet appeared, which now bears
the name of Halley's comet. The circumstance
was regarded by the English as prognostic of
the victory of the Normans. 1t Infused unver-
sal terror into the minds OF the people; and con-
trbuted not litt'e towards the submission of the
country after the battle of Hastings, it had @
served to discourage the soldiers of Harold be-
fore the combat. The comet is represented upon
the famous tapestry Of Bayeux, executed by
Queen Matilda, the wife of the Conqueror.
The same comet, in 1856, threw terror among
the r. 1rks under the command of Mahomet H.,
g IT, Nl...1t l,,r.x tlf,
terrible battle of Belgrade, in which forty thou
sand Mussulmans persisted. The comet is de-
scrbed by historians of the time as 'mrnense
terrible of enormous length, carrying in its traiu
a tai which covered two celestial signs, 100 de-
grees,) and producing universal terror" Judg-
ing from this portrait, comets have slnguarly de-
generated in our day. 1t will be remembered,
however, that in 1911 there appeared comet
of great briancy, which Inspired some supersti-
tious fears. Since that epoch science has noted
nearly eighty comets, which with few excep-
tons were visible only by the aid of the telescope.
Keper, when asked how many comets he thought
there were in the heavens, answered, "As many
as :hsre are fish in the sea-"
| Thanks to the progress Of astronomical science.
these singular are no longer objects of ter
ror. III Q theories of Newton, Haley, and their
| successors, have completely destroyed the I'M
| aginVry empire OF comets. As respects their
| physical nature, it was for long time believed
that they were composed of compact centre.
surrounded by luminous atmosphere. On this
subject the opinion of VI. Babinat who must be
regarded as good authority on such questions, is
| a. follows: ''Comets cannot exercise any matte
| rial Influence upon our globe; and the earth.
| should it traverse a comet in its entire breadth,
| would perceive it no more than if should cross
| a cloud hundred thousand millions of times
lighter than our atmosphere, and which
| could no more make its way through our air
than the slightest puff of an ordinary bellows
could make its way through an anvil" Itwoud
be difficult to find comparison more ieassur-'
ing.
*This celebrated tapestry is preserved in the ancient
Episcopal palace Bayeux- Hrepresens the principal
Incidents including the appt OF the comet IN the
history OF the conquest of England by William Duke of
| Normandy 1t is supposed to have been executed by
Il Matilda the Cohquerors wife. by the Empress NATL
ds daughter of Henry l. 1t consists of linen web, 2l4
! !: lasia on iahss kA aud - AEided into