Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1858-10-09
co,a... ofthe olaep and aIodern Times.

I Carae.. ofthe oIden and Modern Times.
Comets are no "new thing under the sun"
A learned writer in the Boston Traveller has
devoted considerable space to their history
The facts stated we condense.
The first comet mentioned in history of great
magnitude, appeared about the time.Of the birth
tie of Mthridates, and was visible seventy days.
Its brilliancy is compared to that Of the sun,
and its tail covered fourth part Of the heav-
ems. The Chinese mention this comet The
Chinese, I7s years before our era, also mention
a comet with nucleus of reddish tinge, and a
tail between fifty and sixty degrees long, that
appeared for eighty days
In the year of 2ss of our era, a comet OF the
briIliaucy of Venus appeared, and Is said to
have inspired the greatest terror. The head
appeared to be composed of several small stars
and the tail was swOrd-shaPed-
A comet appeared in $50 of an extraordinary
appearance 1t Is described as surrounded BY
thick darkness, and situated on kind of open
ing; it shone in the midst of the darkness;'-
The tail was of great magnitude, and resembled
the smoke of a distant cOufagration-
In 6l5 a comet was seen in China ola dusky
color, the upper extremity of the tail having
kind of vibratory motion. 1t was upwards OF
sixty degrees long In s9l great comet was
seen in Europe and Asia, with q tail one hum
dred degrees long. The comet was one OF ex-
traordinary magnitude and brilliancy. The
comet of 1864 was also Of remarkable size and
brightness The tail upwards of one hundred
degrees in length, curved in the form OF sabre.
In the spring of l4O2 one Ofthe finest comets
on record appeared 1t was SO bright as to be
visible at MONDAY, and produced great terror
among the ignorant
The most celebrated comet of the 18th cen
tury appeared in I472. 1t came very near our
globe on the 2Ist of January, being less than
three and half millions of miles distant Ii was
visible in full daylight, and its tail stretched
across the heavens The comet Of 1877 was OF
blush color with white vaPOr ten degrees
| in length It was the first whose distance from
the earth was ascertained. In 1918 kepler dis
covered comet, which exhibited eorruscations
in its tail, of upwards of one hundred degrees
long. The comet # 1852 almost squaled the
moon in size, and was of pale lVid color
The comet of 1850 was an object of universal
attraction, the nucleus a confused mass of light,
and the train extending over a vast arc of the
sky. 1t was observed in all parts Of the world,
and at its Perhelion passage almost grazed the
suns surface, moving with velocity of $780,
900 niles an hour.
The comet of I744 was the most splendid OF
the eighteenth century. 1t equalled Venus IN
brilliancy, and at one time exhibited siI tails,
emanating from the head and forming rays like
fan. In 1869 remarkable comet was seen,
with tail curved towards its extremity, and
one hundred degrees long. The comet of 1907
had a well defined planetary disk Of circular
form. with tail nine millions OF miles in length.
The comet Of 1911 may be regarded as the
most famous of modern times 1t was visi-
bic a year and a half; nearly twice as
long as the longest duration OF any other
comet. In the autumn of 1911 it was con-
spicuous all night Its tail extended over an
arc of twenty-five degrees, and was six degrees
broad. In October the train exceeded one hun
dred millions of miles The nebulosity was
upwards of one million Of miles in diameter
Astronomers calculated its re-appearance in
ab ut three thoussnd years.
A fne comet appeared suddenly in 1919. 1t
exhibited phases similar 20 the moon, and Arago
Asceftained that it shone by reflected Light. In
1925 comet was visible for nearly an entire
wear. The tail in October was fifteen degrees
long and divided into two branches. The nu-
cleus was composed of three bright points. Pc
rod of revolution estimated at not less than four
thousand wears In February, ls4S, comet
made its appearance 10 full daylight, near the
sun Itpresented splendid appearance during
the first week in March throughout the South
ern Hemisphere. 1t approached within $4,000
miles Of the suns surface. The nucleus was
extremely bright, tail thirty-ye degrees, as seen
at Brazil of 4 brilliant silver color, but with
streak of bright golden hue running directly
into the head. It moved in perheliOn, with a
velocity of million and one quarter miles per
hour, and described, in little more than two
houIs, one-half its angular motion around the
sun.
The Donai comet of 1855 presents an aP-
pearance that will class it among the colossal
ones of former times.