The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1858-09-23
NO. 40.
The Comet.

The Comet.
The comet which is now visible in tbs
northwest region of the heavens a short
time after sunset, was first discovered on
the "a Of June last. by Prof. Donati, in
Florence, Italy. 1t was also discovered
by Henry NJ Parkburst, eq, of Perth
Amboy. New Jerrey, June 30. A very
striking characteristic of this comet was,
when first discovered, its extremely slow
motion. The great distance of the comet
and the direction of its motion, as seen
from the earth, combined to reader its
apparent geocentric motion very small.
ln consequence of its slowness of motion
its period of visibility will be very great
1t has already been visible through a tel
escope for nearly two months and half.
and it will probably remain in sight for
considerable length of time yet. The
head, or star of the commet, appears a.
bout equal to a star of the second magnf-
tude; and as it has not yet reached the
periheion (that point uearert to the sun)
OF it' orbit, it will yet be considerably
brighter. and present splendid appear
ance. Its tail is viewed with q small tel
escope magnifying about eight times. was
about a or degs. in length on SUNDAY
evening, the 18th of September. Itis a
wel.known fact, however, that the tail
has much greater leDth immediately af-
ter the perhelion passage than at any
other time; and hence we NAV expect
that its length will be much more consid-
cradle than at present.
This is the fifth comet discovered siuce
the beginning Of 1858, the first of which
was discovered on the 4th of January;
but as the first four will form the subject
for another article, We will say no more
about them here.
The commet now visible will pass its
Notwithstanding to the elements of
Mr.. George Searle, Assistant at the Dud-
ley Observatory-on the 9th of Septem-
ber The parabolic elements of a comets
orbit are six in number, namely: time of
perihelion passage, longitude of the peri
helion, longitude of the of ascending node,
inclination of the plane of its orbit to the
plane the ecliptic, ,thoiperihelion distance,
and the direction of its motion If the
motion be in the same direction around
the sun as the motion of the planets, it is
said to be direct; if in the opposite direc-
ton, retrograde.
The longitude OF the periheliou of this
comet is about 30 deg, and of the ascen-
ding node about 166 deg. The inclina-
ton is ABOUT 6s deg. The pcrihelion dis
tance is about 4O, 100000 miles, or little
greater than the mean distance of Mercu-
ry from the Sun. Its motion is retrogade,
SO that its apparent motion is from right
to left, as seen at this time. The veloci-
ty Of the comet, when at its perihelion,
will be about $50, 900 miles per hour
Its distance from the Earth at this time,
roughly estimated, is about 81 100000
miles. Its tail is at least 100000 miles
in length.
Several parabolic elements have been
computed, bat as these differ considerably
from each other it is thought, with much
probability, that the comet moves in an
eclipse of moderate eccentricity. and hence
that its time of revolution around the sun
is not very great. The elements CORES
pond with those Of the first comet of 1927,
and with those of 1851. This will make
the period of revolution about 81 years.
The period of 63 years comprehend9d be-
tween 1854 and 1927 will embrace two
returns to its peribelion. The difference
of half year is within the limits of per-
turbaton. This will make its return,
previous to 1927, in 1895. If this be its
true period, its next return may be ezpee-
ted about l $50 or 1890. Time will soon
determine these questions. With this Pc
riod its mean distance from the sun will
be about the same as that of Saturn; and
when it is in the aphelion greatest dis
tance from the suu) Of its orbit, it will be
about the mean distance of Uranus.
DAVID TRowBRIDGE.
Perry City, N. Y, Sept. IL.
p. S.-The best view Of the comet can
be had in the morning, about 81 or A o.
clock. The direction of its tail points
toward the north polar star.
Running back two periods from 1854
to 1902, We find the recorded appearance
of comet visible to the naked eye. We
also find one in 1872, one period back.