The weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1858-1860, 1858-10-19

TCsanoeis No \ % his way,


Taa billion leagues Of hil. f
The comet now visible in the north every
clear evening and morning 10 very beau
tiful object and attracts the interested gaze
not only Of the astronomer but Of the un-
learned. The faet that We know 90 little of
these srratio heavenly bodies, and therefore
such unlimited scope for conjecture. adds to
the interest with which We contemplatethem
The present comet called DonAti's from the
name Of ID discovsrsr, ID the most brilliant
that has appeared for many years. That Of
1918 Wa larger and perhaps equally luni
nous, but mot % distinct in its outline, if We
rscoiiect Alright The astronomers promise
40 That this comet will increase in brilliancy
for week or more 10 come 1t 10 to be de-
sired that We may be favored with clear eve
nings and mornings during the period of its
nearest approach to the earth Its distance
from 10 on the 9th of this month, according
to Prof Bonds computations will be only
6fty-two millions Of miles, or but little more
than half our distance from the sun Its
apparent motion 10 toward the south-east
The astronomers have found it very difficult
10 compute the elements Of its path, be.
cause its course 10 90 nearly in direct line
towards the earth. There are consequently
pretty wide ferences of opinion a. to the
time Of its nearest approach to the earth, and
We may possibly be favored with alonger and
nearer visit from the distinguished stranger
than Prof Bond anticipates.
There 10 also difference of opinion as to
the identity of this comet Ii is very diff
cult, in fact TO fix the identity of these irreg.
ular bodies. Their orbits and the times OF
their circuit are varied by the disturbing in.
fuencss of the planets which they happen
to approach, and their forms also change in
fact as well a. in appearance. Some con-
slider this the comet Of 1927, having peri
cd of thirty-one years Others, and the lar
ger number, make 1t to be the comet Charles
v. The appearance of that comet was re-
corded by Chinese astronomers in the years
of l0l and 1896. In 975 it appeared again
with tail forty degrees in length and o
head % brilliant as to be visible in the day
time In l264 it approached the sun with a
tail one hundred degrees in length, so that
when its head was in the zenith the end Of
the tail hung belew the horizon. ltdisap-
peared on the day OF pope Urban's death,
and then the church understood that it had
been sent as special warning of that event
Whom it appeared again in lo56 Charles v
of France took it into his head that it meant
u
p0rtant q parsonage as any on the globe, and
90 addicted his throne and retreated to a
monastery to prepare for death. But he
survived some years, Notwithstanding The
periods Of this comet have not varied much
from 300 years. and,it is therefore possible
that it may be the comet now visible. We
have hardly despot or prelate now on the
earth of sufficient consequence to be fore
warned of his death by so distinguished
portent; and it is presumable that quite. an
other errand brings it back Its return was
expected by astronomers in lS4S, and it has
been suggested that it delayed few years
in order to be present at the completion Of
the Atlantic cable. Seriously, however, the
delay Of this comet to come up to time is full
ly accounted for by the disturbing influence
Of the planets, and it is remarkable that
Bonnie, German astronomer, published in
1850 his computation of the orbit Of this
comet, BY which he fixed its return in Au-
gust, 1858 certainly very close calcula-
ton.
The tail of this comet is computed to be
about six million miles in length.ss 1t is
curved like long quill, and is Of a delicate
rose color. 1t is flying through space at
the immense speed of 10000 miles per
hour, velocity too rapid for comprehen-
sion. No wonder its tail drags a.great length
behind The chief wonder is low the tail
manages to 20 ahead of the body as the com
at recedes from the sun 1t might reasona-
bly, be expected to drop off altogether. A
common spy glass aids very much to a good
view of the comet. Prof Mitchell, of the
Cincinnati observatory, describes some feat
ures of it that We have not noticed else
where
"On the evening Of tho 25tls Of Septem-
Der, the appearance of the comet, in the
great reflector of the Cincinnati observatory
was especially interesting The central por
ton, or nucleus, was examined with powers
VARYING from one hundred to five hundred
without presenting any evidence Of well
defined planetary disc. 1t was brilliant
glow of light, darling and flashing forward
in the direction of the motion toward the
sun, and leaving the region behind in COM
paratiye obscurity. But the most wonderful
physical feature presented was portion Of
q nearly circular nebulous ring, with its vor-
tex directed toward the sun, the bright nu-
ceus being in the center, while the imper-
feet ring swept more than half way round
the luminous center. This pebulous ring
resembled those which sometimes escape
from steam pipe, but did not exhibit the
appearance which ought to be presented by
a hollow hemispherical envelop of nebulous
matter. There was an evident concentration
of light in the central portions of the ring,
while, in case ola hollow envelop, the brig ht.
est portion should he at the outer edge BY
micrometrical measurement, the distance
from tLs central point to the circumference
of the ring was found to be about nine
thousand miles. Tins would give diane
ter of eighteen thousand miles, in case the
ring was entire Similar measurements
made on the evening of the Doth Of Septeri-
Der. indicated decided increase in the ra.
dius OF the ring which WAS now not less than
twelve thousand miles in length On the
same e, ening inoticed the fact that the iu-
mnous enveiop d.a not blend itself iuto the
head portion of the tail, but appeared some
what TO penetrate into this nebulons mass,
especially on the upper part, presenting the
appearance of about 26U degrees of a spiral
The tail on the 18th was decidedly brighter
and better defined on the upper than on the
lower portion, while on the evening of the
Goth there was much nearer approach to
equality in brightness, especially near the
head OF the comet. Through the telescope,
and near the head, the tail presented the
appearance Of hollow nebulous envelop,
under the form of . paraboloid OF revolution
the edges being brightest and we'll defined,
while there was manifest fading away Of
light toward the central region. Through
tho vast depth Of nebulous matter compos-
ing this wonderful appendage the faintest
telescope star shone with undiminished
brightness"
As to the nature Of cometary bodies and
the purpose they serve in the economy OF
the univercs, there is scope for the widest
speculation The nebular theory Of Laplace
is now accepted by most astronomers. 1t
is, as nearly as it can be expressed briefly,
that the whole solar system-sun, planets,
satellites and comets-was once single ne
bulou, mass, from which the various planets
have been thrown of in the order OF their
distance The comets are in this view only
young worlds, more recently projected from
the parent sun, and rushing wildly through
space, to SOW their wild oats, until they shall
cool OF their youthful ardor and be ready to
take their place among their regular and Sc
date older brethren and sisters, the planets.
H.. ~loho ,r;tL tha rosf IN siInuosad fn ha