Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1857-05-18
The New Comet.


The new comet, whose approach to the earth
was, according to the calculations of certain
French astronomers. to annihilste our planet by
impinging against it,on OF about the 18th ofJune,
proves not 70 be very dangerous visitor, after
all. According to c. W. Tutle, Esq late assist
ant at the Astronomical Observatory at Harvard
University, in a communication to the Newoury-
port Herald, it has already passed its Peuhelion'
and its nearest approximation to-the earth' ana
Is now reeeding from us at a rapid rate IN IT'S
eht through space in its eccentric orbit; and con-
sequeutIy we need no longer be under fears of its
dashine against the earth. Its nearest approach
10 the earth was on the Sth inst, when it was
tscenfy millions of miles distant from us Besides,
this new comet, having always returned to this
part of its orbit once in ten years. he time of its
ascertained periodic revolution,) withou; imping
ing against us, there was more valid reason for
fearing collision al this than at any other period
since the whole system of planetary orbs was
launched into space, each body to move in har-
mony with every other, according to wise, estab-
lished, and unchanging laws.
This comet, discovered in 1876, by Bronson, is
the fifth of those of short period, discovered
since 1919, viz; Enckes, whose period is three
and one third years BIela's, six and three-quar.
tiers years; Fayes, and De Vico's. Halley's COM
e:, which last appeared in 1885, and made such an
imposing display with its length Of tail, returns
only once in seveuty.fve or ssventysix years,
sequently not many Of the present generation will
witness its next appearance. This completes the
list of comets whose orbits are known. The FIVE
comets of short periods do not appear ito have
ever made any very snowy appearance in their
periodical visits sunwnard and earihward. To
sum up, there need be no fear of the destruction
of our earth by a comet, at present, il ever.
The following is Mr.. Tuttles communication,
referred to above, in reference to this comet:
SIT was first discovered by Mr. Brorsen, whose
name it bears, at KEEL, on the 26th of February
1916 He describes it very faint, and though
it remained visible very long time in the teles-
cope, it never became so to the naked eye. 1t
passed its perihelion, on the 25th of February
l847, almost year after its discovery Astrono
mers soon found that no parabolic elements
would satisfy the observations, and betook them
selves to elliptic clements which found to
represent a path through the heavens, cores
ponding with the observed one. DR.. Brunow,
Hind, and De HAN, were the most successful in
computing the elliptic elements Their PERIOD
however, was a little short of the actual
which has taken place; but it will be recollected
that no account Of planetary perturbation was
considered by them. Its return was anticipated
by astronomers, and Dr. Bruhus, German as
tronomer, guided by an ephemeris, detected it on
the night of the 18th of last March. on or near
Aries. 1t was also independently detected at the
Harvard Observatory. The comet was Fastening
to its perihelion when first seen, and reached it
on the 18th OF March, having made complete
tour around the sun in ten years and about one
month.
The elements of this comet resemble those of |
A. g avad, fbax
identical, then this comet has continued to re-
volve AROUND the in every ten years
since, unseen by human eye till the 18th of Feb
ruary 1916, when it was discovered by Brorsen.
The dimensions of its orbit are now well ascer-
tanned. Its aphelion is beyond the orbit OF Jul |
piter more than thirty six millions of miles. At |
its perihelon, it just within the orbit of |
Venus The comets geocentric motion, at this |
time, is mostly in right ascension being upwards
of fifteen minutes of time daily from west to east.
On the 23d inst. it will be near the bright star
Beta UrS@ Majoris 1t was nearest the earth on |
the Sth inst, being then about twenty millions of
miles distant. II is now receding from u.s. and |
will not be visible to the naked eye during its |
present appaiition. This is the comet the Euro
peans announced would strike the earth in June.
But in America it has been COMPOUNDED with the
great comet of 1866, which has not yet appeared. +
The return Of this comet according TO prediction
may be regarded another of the brilliant series
of astronomical triumphs."
Even surprising lnlsJ OF any OtneI OF tnOse |
wandering orbs called comets, of which so many
have been seen, and of which the orbits of so
few are known, should CONS in contact with our
earth, the consequence would not be at all such
as have been feared, owing to the light and i'm
ponderable nature of the materials of which
those cratic bodies composed. The eminent
German astronomer, Won Littnow, says on this
point in a communication in the Vienna Gazette
after asserting the impossibiity of the comet
under consideration, from the known calculations
concerning it, coming within many miles Of our
planet:
Highly improbable as it is, because it could
only take place by concurrence Of circumstan-
ces hardly conceivable that collision of the earth
and the nucleus of comet should ensue, such an
event, far from entailng destruction on this
world could only be compared at the most to the
fall Of meteor, and its effects would barely equal
those produced by our thunder storms and hurri-
canes. meIe passing Of the earth through the
luminous appendages of one OF these oooles,
which it is true might more easily happen, would
be unattended by any injurious consequences,
since the matter of which comets consist is not
coherent substance, nor is it even an atmosphere,
such as we could not inhale. 1t is, to say the
least of it. waste Of words, if it be not practclng
upon the credulity of ignorant people, to attri-
butte to this most innocent among the innocent
heavenly bodies, evil designs of any sort against
this earth of ours"