The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1857-04-08
THE COMET.

THE COMET.
We notice The following in Il late number
Of the Carolina Times, given rs an extract
from n letter dated in Paris:
To-day we have had cate sunni or
weather in Paris. The event has caused
public attention to be almost entirely alb
sorbrd with the comet, Which thousands
here believe will smash our globe on the
18th of June next. The comet is the sub
Jcct of universal conversation. Although
We have few or works on prophecy in France
than III London, We have nevertheless pro-
phctIc aImanacs and somnambuiists, and
drcapcrs Of dreams, and spirit rappcrs.
which make mp for the deficiency. and are
now INCREASINGLY employed. Up To the pres
cnt rhomcnt the come. has not affected the
value Of bills due after the 18Th Of June"
a certain measure OF superstition is still
left in the world, aud it is remarkable with
II a'idiiy, even in this enlightened age,
the popular masses fall in with mn c~xtrava-
giant prophecy, based upon no s~cieutiGc con
cIuSion AL, therefore, contrary to reason
and common sense. This WAS cxemplifcd
in the prophecy of Miller, in our own coun.
49, "a Ni'ilTIchi lhJlltN, u IlhilCil-
man, and who claims 10 be an Astronomer,
is the immortal prophet who is now c~.ectri-
tying the world by proclaiming thst u comet
~ to come in contact with our Globe, on the
18th Of June next. VI Babinet. although
a more reasonable man than Millcr-the
last having claimed Divine inspiration rs
his guide, whereas, the Frcnchman is II man
OF science and Processes 10 draw conclusions
from that sourcc-yet 81. Babinc,, by "a
greater than ho" is condrmned, aud is shown
to have missed his figures entirely. Men
of science have been Intercepted, and they
have clearly demonstrated "that there are
not the data Tor such i computation :" hence
the great Babinet is skonn TO have made
a mistake and the world may rest easy tina,
tie dreaded catastrophe will moi happen, at
least, not on tie 18th Of June next.
Comets are so irregular in their course
and in their appearance. that bat few Of
them have been made the subject OF sc:cr.
tiHc observation and the world rs Vet. *
but impertcctly acquainted with the nature
~ ~ hp"h w OC OF SIN
gn.ar form-elongatcd and oval shaped 10
dies. with tails of immense length. They
move around The sun, but their course is
less regular than that of other bodies =
sometimes they approach him in n straight
Inc, rs if actually coming in contact bat
En"Iiy when near, their course is turned and
they pass around the sun with great rapidiry.
Their color, always bright, is greatly bright
cncd after being in close proximity to the
Suns rays. Comets are bright yapoury
bodies, SO thin in fact, that stars have been
seen through them and should one at any
time come in contact with the Garth. the
collision could not affect tho regular mo-
lions OF The latter yet it is highly probable,
that Il would be rendered unfit for the habi.
taiion of man. The comet known as BE.
mas Comet a very small one, is regular in
It's appearance, which il once in every 6.
years. This Comet, in 1892, passed through
The earlh's track, only about one month be.
lore the latter reached that point. Thi,
IS the Nearest instance TO n collision that
We know of. Another called 'IIaIlcys
Comet" perhaps the most remarkable
known to astronomers, appears regularly
every Scventy>livc ! ears. is last appearance
was in 1885; lis next, therefore, will be in
1905. ii has been known TO cover one-sixth
the extent OF the visible Heavens, and lis tail.
as calculated by Sir Isaac Newton, is onv
hundred ind twenty-five rec millions of miles
III length "Enks Comet reyolves ono,
III about 81 years, but each successive ap.
prOach OF this Comet, is a li:;ie earlier,
showing that lis orbit, is gradually lessen.
ing, indicating that ultimately, it will Fall in.
to the Sun hence has been suggested the
possibility, That our planet, whose orbit is
within that Of Euk's Comet, is doomed,
eventually, to the same fate. Millions of
years, however, mus, elapse before such a
contamination is arrived at. Comets often
pass unobserved, because the part of the
Heavens visible TO us, through which they
pass, is under Daylight.
la the middle ages,the sudden appearance
of these bodies, were looked upon as pro.
mentions of an approaching calamity, such
rs war, pesIIcnce, or famine. Science, has
in a great measure, dispclled these f~ancies
and the prophecies of such men as NJ. Bah
met, will, at this late day, we hope, be taken
only FOR hat they are worth.