The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-10-11
The Great Comet OF 1883.
COMMUNICATIONS FROM MR.. BOND, OF THE HARVARD


There are several distinctive features in the imposing
spectacle Of the great comet now attracting universal
attention. which scarcely have escaped the notice Of
the most casual observer We first tho majestic
sweep Of the train not projected in straight line from
the head or nucleus but curve Of tupendous proper
tons, reaching far up towards the polar circle Another
peculiarly is the regular contour Of its upper
side; the lower side, the contrary, has dcnned
and uncertain outline The upper edge is also plainly tho
brightest through It's whole extent The star like concen
aton Of light in the head, and us gradual drnnutiop
until is lost in dfused light the dark background
Of the sky arc other interesting phenomenas These are
all prominent features, scarcely requiring al effort OF
attention 20 recognise them.
detected by good eye without telescope aid There is
for instance decided very narrow dark streak near
the middle Of the brightest part Of the tran leading quite
Again by careful watching, or more supplementary
tails cr faint can be dvergng the nucleus
from the main stream OF light ts upper sde
and extending for ATTY sixty degrees These have
considerably less curvature than the principal tall, and
divcrre long distance from II at their extremity
When Il is considered that the field Of view OF power
fa telescope necessarily limited 10 Of less than
thousandh part Of the portion Of the heavens occupied
BY the comet, will at once appear why ~ aspect,
through such instrument commonly dsspJonts the
expectation Of unpractsed observers The grand charac
terstcs above enumerated are, for the part lost
and they only shining through dim envelopes Of
hare. and encrcled with misty halos The astronomer,
however will bc far from sharing in The general dsap
Ioinimopt.
Since the 2s,h o June prcsen, comet has been con
stanty watched with the great refracor Of the 0bsevA
developed during this period the nucleus surround
ing region have scarcely been paralelea in astronomical
history.
Tor many weeks succeeding ,s first discovery the
comet exhibited appearance not in bodies of
s class excepting the single fact Of IL being visible all
from the immense distance of more than two hundred
millions Of miles which placed from the earth
u was Of faint dnused ne5ulosty surrounding
risrke centre far beyond tue reach Of but superior
telescopic vision.
In perfect accordance with It's predicted course Il con-
nued TO increase m brightness and on he lsh Of July
the nrr traces Of tail not noticed until the 2Oth
August On the 2oh Il visible 10 the naked eye and
train of two degrees length could be dscerncd In the
comet seeker The intense central light this time was
about i've thousand miles In diameter
The curvature OF the tail noticed the morning Of
the 9Th cf September II is highly probable from this
observation that the plane ~ curvature does not lie the
plane ~ the orbit, has commonly been supposed for
had this been the from tho position of the earth
that date being cosc 70 the line Of nodes the tail ought
10 have been seen straight.
0n the 10th the FIRST OF series of extraordinary phe
nomena manifested self in the region contiguous the
nucleus. crescent shaped outline obacure aud very
narrow, was nierposcd ike screen, between the
ceus and the within this instead ~ softly blended
nebulous light indicative &C ndsturbed condition OF
equilibrium, the hcry mass was In state Of apparent
commoon though uphoaved by the action of violent
internal forces. ON the 23d dark outlines traced
more than half ~ay round the neceus, and the
evening sl another Each Of these was evidently the
outer boundary Of luminous envelope, the brightest
being that nearest the nucleus.
On tho 25th four envelopes seen and others have
subsequently, been formed almost under the eye Of The
observer their motion c projection the nucleus being
evident from night 70 night. The rapidty Of their orma
ton ana ts enormous extent to which they ultimately
expanded phenomena extremely difficult TO explain
Tho Of chaotic confusion presented within nos
envelope only be accounted result Of sudden
and violent dsrupons from the central body projecting
immense volumes of s luminous substance towards the
sun, which by some unknown Law, In IN rcpeed by
that body and driven on 20 the distant regions of space
forming the vast train c hgh, 20 characteristic Of ihcse
mysterious bodies.
Il Is probable that the comet has now passed i,s maxi
mum Of brightness although the length Of the may be-
on tho increase for some days 10 Whether
yet 70 witness the inverse operation Of the
o the nucleus by the suhsdence of the envelopes Of
the material n tho tail upon a. whether II Is incapable
Of restoration n It's original condition, interesting sub
jects of speculation the latter however would seeu 10
be the most likely Of the two alternatives
HARVARD CotiSss oaskavAr Oct 9, 1868.