Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1858-11-24
DNEsDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER "a, 1853.
The Eight Comets of 1855.

The present is year of Comets. They have
averaged nearly comet per month, no less than
eight having been seen from Earth since A. D.
1853 began. Five of the eight it is claimed
were independently discovered at the Cam
bridge University, being an unprecedented mum.
by one astronomer in so short a time Mr.
Tuttle has not only optics keen" but he
keeps sharp lookout for the erratic visitors
Two of the eight comets seen, were predicted
returns of periodical ones; the others supposed
to be strangers to our stsr-gazers. The inven-
ton ofthe telescope has addedmany to the visible
eometaTy family, for during the entire fifth and
eighth centuries of our era, only thirty. two
comets were recorded. Only three OF the eight
seen this year have become visible to the naked
eye. The Boston Traveller makes the following
interesting note of the Comets of 1858.
The first Comet of this year was discovered
Jan. 4, at Cambridge University, bv Mr.. Tuttle.
and subsequently by Dr.. Bruins at the Royal
Observatory of Berlin. 1t never became visible
to the naked eye. The first parabolic elements
so much resembled those of a Gomez discovered
by Meehalm at Paris, on the 9th of Jan, 1880.
and two days later by Miss Caroline Herschel.
that astronomers felt no hesitation in declaring
II TO be one OF the same body. Elliptic ele-
ments, with period of thirteen Years and EIGHT
months, completely represent It's observed geo.
centric course, so we may look for it aUain about
the year 1872. The position of its orbit is such
that between 1890 and 1858, its successive re-
turns could not be well seen.
The second Comet was discovered by DR.. Win
necke at Bonn, on the eighth of March. Its
described as faint and nebulous, without any real
nucleus The elements proved it to be identi-
cal with that OF 1910, discovered by Pons. Ell
hptlc elements show it to have a period of five
years and six months
1he third Comet was discovered by Mr.. Tut
tie at Cambridge Observatory on the second of
May. Hwas always very faint even in a tcIe.
scope: 1t Is remarkable as being, probably.
the first comet that escaped the observation
OF European astronomers. when it was above
their horizon. 1t was observed in America only
at the Ann ArbOr (Mieh.) Observatory, and at
the place of discovery. It remained visible
IN the telescope one month, and is entirely
new one.
The fourth Comet was discovered bv DR.
BRUINS at Berlin, on the 2lst of May. It was
equal, at one time, to a star of the seventh mag
nltude- 1t does not appear to have ever been
seen before. 1t disappeared about the first of
July. ','1'
The fifth Comet of this year is the eolosus
one which attracted universal attention for
some months, IN the evening sky. 1t was first
discovered by Donati at Florence, on the I'd of
June, and subsequently in America, by Mr.. Tat
tie, at the Cambridge Observatory. on the 2stb
of June, by Mr.. Parkhurst in New Jersey. on
the 29th of the same month, and by Miss Maria
Mitchell on the lst of July These astronomers
were ignorant Of the fact of its previous di,,
coveTy at the time they saw it, thereby Owing
to the illustrious stranger four independent
dlscoverers There IS no previously recorded
appearance of this comet. Its grandeur has
not been surpassed during this century
DIR. Bruins and Mr.. Watson have each com.
puted, from the latest observed places of 4.
elliptic elements with periods of tweDtv-one
and twenty-four centuries. There can he brt
little doubt that the time of revolution Is verv
great J
The sixth Comet is Encke's. with = Der;od Of
three and one quarter years. 1t was detected
by DIR. Foster, assistant of the RovaI Observa- |
tory OF Berlin, on the 7th of August. He was
guided IN his search for it by an ephemeris
computed by the illustrious Encke, whose name
1t bears 1t was found in the precise place
by the ephemeris. 1t was visible for
short time to the naked eye. This Comet |
was accidentally discovered by Mr. Tuttle on |
the 9th of September, while sweeping for
Comets.
The seventh Comet was discovered at the
Cambridge Observatory on the night of the 9Th /
OF September, by Mr.. Tuttle It became Wis
l6le to the naked eye for short time, and |
showed, through the telescope, short tail. It
Is now vending its way towards the southern |
1t is remarkable for the great |
geocentric arc it has already described, having
passed from the northeast to the south west |
horizon. This is a new Comet.
The eighth Comet was discovered by DR..
Bruhn at Berlin, on the ninth of September. |
It Is the return of Fay's Comet, having pc
nod OF seven and half years. It is still ap- !
preaching the earth, but is invisible to the naked
eye.