Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1858-10-11
From the Boston Daily Advertiser.

several distinctive features in the imposing
spectacle of the great comet row attracting
universal attention, which can scarcely have
escaped the notice of even the most casual
observer. We have first the majestic sweep
of the train; not projected in a straight line
from the head or nucleus, but in a curve Of
stupendous proportions, reaching far up to-
wards the Polar niice. Another peculiarly
Is the regular contour of its upper or convex
side; and the lower side, on the contrary. has
an i'll defined and uncertain outline I he up
Per edge is also plainly the brightest through
It's whole extent. The star like concentration Of
light In the head, and its gradual diminution.
until 1t Is lost in ditfused light on the datk
pack ground OF the sky, are other interesting
phenomena. These are all prominent iea-
lures scarcely requiring an effort of attention
to recognize them.
There are others not so strongly marked,
but yet easily detected by good eve without
telescope aid. There is. fo- instance. a de-
cided but very narrow dark streak near the
middle of the brightest part of tie train. lead
ing quite up 10 the nucleus.
Again, by careful watching, one or more
supplementary tails or faint rays can be seen
dlverging near the nucleus from the main
stream OF light on its upper or convex side,
and extending for fifty or sixty degrees These
have considerably less curvature than the
principal tail, and diverge a long distance
from it at their extremity.
When it is considered that the field of view
OF powerful telescope is s,arily limited
to an area OF less than a thousaudlh part of
the portion OF the heavens occupied by the
comet, it will at once appear why It's aspect,
through such an instrument commonly dis
appoints the expectation Of unpTacliced OBJ
servers. The gland characteristics above
enumerated are, tor the most part lost, and
they see only star shining through dim ell.
velopes of haze and eEcilcled with misty
haloes The astronomer, however will be far
from sharing in the general disappointment.
Since the 28th of June the present comet
has been constantly watched with the Great
Retractor Of the Observatory of Harvard Col
lege. The extraordinary phenomena deyel-
oped during this period in the nucleus and
surrounding region, have scarcely been paral-
leled IN astronomical hlatory.
For many weeks succeeding its first discov-
cry the comet exhibited an appearance not
uncommon iii bodies OF its class, excepting
the single fact OF its beng visible at all from
the immense distance Of more than two hun.
dred millions of miles at which it was placed
from the Earth. 1t was mass OF faint diff
-'N~N ''SSAiN7AVg oNIibuiUllS u eldt lin zen
tire. far beyond the reach Of any but superior
telescope vision.
In perfect accordance with its predicted
course it continued to increase in brightness,
and o. the l9;h of July it all eady surpassed
the average Of telescope Comets, but the first
traces OF & tail were not noticed until the 10Th
OF August. On the 29th it was visible to the
naked eye, and train of TWO degrees in
length could be discerned in the Comet seek.
er. The intense central light at this time was
about five thousand miles in diameter.
The curvature of the tail was noticed on
the morning Of the 9th Of September. 1t is
highly PROBABLE ttom this observation, that
the plane OF the curvature does not lie in the
plane Of the orbit, as has commonly been
the case, from the position Of the earth at that
date, bsng close to the line of nodes, the tail
ought to have been seen straight.
On the 10th the first of series of extraor-
binary phenomena manifested itself in the
region contiguous to the nucleus. A crescent
shaped ontine, obscure and very narrow, was
interposed like 3 SCI cen, between the nucleus
and The sun; within this, instead of softly
blended nebulous light indicative of an undis-
tnrbed condition of equilibrium, the fiery
mass was in state Of apparent commotion,
as though upheayed by the action of violent
internal forces. On the 23d two dark out
lines were traced more than half way round
the nucleus, and on the next evening still
another. Each of those was evidently the
outer boundary of luminous envelope, the
brightest being that nearest the nucleus.
On the 25th, four envelopes were seen, and
others have subseq uently been formed, almost
under the eye Of the observer, their motion of
projection from the nucleus being evident
from night to night. The rapidty of their
formation, and the enormous extent to which
they are ultimately expanded, are phenomena
extremely difficult to explain. The scene of
chaotic confusion presented within the Utmost
envelope, can only be accounted for as the re-
suit OF sudden and violent descriptions from
the central body, projecting immense volumes
of its luminous substance towards the sun,
which by some unknown law is in turn re-
PEELED by that body, and driven off to the dis
tant regions of space, forming the vast train
OF light so characteristic of these mysterious
bodies.
II is probable that the Comet has now
passed its maximum of brightness, although
the length of the tail may be on the increase
Tor some days to come. Whether we are yet
to witness the inverse operation of the recon-
struction of the nucleus by the subsistence of
the envelopes, and of the material of the tail,
upon it, or whether it is incapable of restora.
ten to its original condition, are interesting
subjects OF speculation the latter, however,
would seem to be ths most likely of the two
alternatives.
Harvard College Observatory Oct. s, '5S,