The Kansas herald of freedom., 1858-09-25
IAe 9eralo Of Ereedom.
LAWRENCE, X. It.
Saturday Morning, Sep. Is. 1858.


The Comet
Those who have examined the western
horizon, between the hours of 7 and 8 P.
NJ, from the 14th inst. down to within
few days past, have observed comet, from
six to ten degrees above the horizon
The st. Louis Republican, speaking on this
subject, remarks -
Those who look upon the small nebu-
lous star now visible, can hardly realize
the terrific appearance of this same OBJ
ject when, in 1864, it approached the sun
with n tail one hundred degrees in length !!
Its tail came streaming up in the morning
several hours before its head, and when
its nucleus was in the zenith, the train
stretched below the western horizon. It's
train was first very broad, but it decreased
in width, extending enormously in length.
1t is said to have disappeared October 3D.
on the day OF the death of Pope Urban
~. 1t was, of course, thought a special
forerunner Of that event.
This comet had appeared before in 975,
and also in 395 and 104, as mentioned by
Chinese annalists. This would give it a
period of about 292 years. In 975 It's
tail was 40 degrees in length, and its nu-
cleus or head was so bright as to be visi-
bic in the day time. Its next appearance
after 1854, was in 1885, in the month OF
February. Its aspect was very similar to
its present one, being Somewhat paler
than the planet Mars, and with train OF
four degrees in length" 1t has been
known as "the great comet of Charles w
because it appeared in the year in which
his abdication took place. The Emperor
(Charles v, of Spain,) considered it an
omen of his death, although he survived
1t some years. Fabricus, his Astronomer,
mapped out his path, describing its course
Through Virgo and Bootes, past the pole
OF the heavens in Cephus and Cassie
pela." What rendered this comet partic.
ularly interesting, was its near approach
to the earth, being on the 18th of March
only seven millions of miles distant. The
orbit of the comet of 1864 was computed
by Pingre and Dunthome, while that Of
1905 was computed by Hally and after
wards by Hind, of the Southville Obser.
vatory, Regents Park, England. 1t was
found that the two orbits agreed, and Pin.
gre concluded that they were the same
and that it would return again in 1848.-
1t was accordingly expected at that time
and its non-appearance stimulated somt
to re-examination of the previous cal
culations. Mr.. Barber found that the at.
traction of the outer planets, Jupiter, Sat.
urn and HerSchell had retarded it. Mr.
Hind predicted its appearance in 1858
after making allowance for the disturb
ances. The excitement and crude specu
istlon relative to its anticipated near ap.
proach to the earth last year is still il
everybody's memory. There is no neces
sity of repeating that were comet t
strike the earth it could not penetrate tn,
earth's atmosphere on account of the su
perior density of the latter. But the in
clination of the comet to the earth's orbi
being so great (36o) there could scarcel,
be possibility of "brush" from its tai
at any time. 1t is interesting to conside
this object in the light of traveller like
Won Humboldt. A journey of 1872 year
is no small tramp"
In go it Saw the earth in the midst o
the dark ages. Basil and Constantine
VIII reigned over the Eastern Empire
In England, the horrid murder of Edward
the martyr, by his step-mother, Elfrida
had just been consummated. The Nor
wegians were making discoveries in Green
land, and soon after descended upon thi
continent.
In 1864, on its next visit, it witnesse,
the first regular parliament in England
and the success Of the Pope in his strug
gle for temporal power over Italy. Tn
crusades had begun to tell in their effec
upon the culture of the age.
In 1856 it found America discovere
and greedy Spaniards rioting in wealt
and blood at the ancient capital of tn
AItecs and i'll the Peruvian cities. Quee
Elizabeth had Just been established i
England, and Montaigne, Scaliger, Jerom
Cardan, Tasso, Camoens, Cerventes, Phi
lip Sidney, were all in the flower of the
vigor, and the worlds greatest geniu
Shakespeare, was just learning to walk.
In 1S4S its visit may very reasonably /
supposed to have been postponed in ord,
to witness the completion Of the Atlanti
cable scheme. Viewed in this light, W
may consider it a special indication
good will on the part of that illustrol
luminary.
The best catalogue of comets kuow1
Is that OF Ma-tuan-lin, Chinese Astrol
omer, whose collection extends from 81
years before Christ to A. d. 1914. oy
two thousand years. There have been r.
corded about seven hundred in all,
:, which the orbits of about one hundre
and eighty have been calculated by a
tronomers. The periodic revolutions val
from three years to several thousand year
Some approach in their Perihelion so ne
to the Sun as to be heated to white he
as some suppose.
Although the number Of comets is
large, there are comparatively few whic
appear to the naked eye; only about fou
teen in century. But to the telescop
hardly year passes without the observ
ton Of one or more. In 1910 four we
seen, in lS46 there were eight.
Sir ISAAC NEWTON first calculated Il
orbit Of comet, and demonstrated tn
they moved in eliptieal paths. Befo
that time it was generally supposed tn
they moved in parabolas and never +
turned to the solar system after leaving
The name comet is derived from
Greek word (kome) meaning hair, and
was suupoeed that thew ashook WAR q,