The Lambertville press. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1858-1???, 1861-07-10
The Comet of 1851.

and at the most exciting and lmpor"
taRt period of our hist DRY, would go
far to create general belief that it
exerted, in some mysterious way,
sinister influence upon our destinies,
if the ancient superstition which pop
ularized such opinions had not been
effectually exploded BIZ the researches
of science. As it is. all intelligent
minds will enjoy the brilliant specta'
Gle it presents with 10 fears that it
either foreshadoWs or affects the course
of human events
It is supposed BY astronomers to be
among the bare POSSIBLE les that
comet, may at some time, come into
collision with the earth, but the chan
ces of such an occurrence are so re-
mote, that they are scarcely worth
considering, and, in view of their
attenuation, it is not believed to be at
all certain that they would indict any
very great damage if they should visit
it, unless solid nucleus moving in a
direction contrary to the diurnal mo-
ton of the earth should strike it, when
the most fatal effects would be pro-
dnced.
The comet nov visible il probably
/ the one which appeared in 1856, known
as the Charles the Fifth comet, from
the fact that it was observed t,y biz
astronomer, Paul Fabricius, and made
such deep impre sion upon his mind
that it is supposed to have FASTENED
bis abdication. II ia also belived 10
have appeared in 975 aud 1854, the
period Of lis recurrence being about
800 years but allowance must be
made for the numerous perturbations
OF disturbing influences Of the planets
among which it revolves The comet
of 975 was visible during period Of
eighty three days. ana the course 1t
pursued was similar to that Of the
comets of 1864 and 1856.
The planet Of 1854 was Of great
magnitude, and created much excite.
ment. It was first sson like the pres
ent one, about the first of July, and
attained its maximum brilliapcy in the
latter past Of August. The tail was
one hundred degrees in length, and
appeared curved, in the form Of q
sabre. 1t was last soon On the evening
of the Sd of October, tbs date of the
death Of Pope Urban ", with which
event it was supposed to have had
some mysterious connection. The
comet OF 1868 began to DO generally
visible about tie end of February, and
disappeared on the Esd of April. It
was 10 unusual magnitude, but its tail
was short and variable.
Presenting that it was the sans
comet which appeared in 975, 1854,
and 1856, many caicu lations have been
made as to the time Of its reappear-
snae. DR.. HALEY supposed it would
be visible in 134S. But between the
year 1843 and l847 the whole subject
was reinvestigated by Mr.. Hind, Of
London, and NJ. Bonnie, Of Middle.
burg, in the Netherlands. Mr.. Hind,
after attempting TO calculate the plane.
tary perturbatiors. concluded that it
would appear about 1853. NJ. BONNIE
supposed it's perihelion would be
reached on t. e 22d Of August, 1850.
On the first appearance of the comet
of 1853, it was thought by some that
that was the comet of 1855. but the
computations which were made res.
pecting its orbit showed that the
period Of its revolution was about
1000 years, SO that it evidently had
not been previously visible for many
centuries. AS he present comet is
being carefully noticed at many obser.
vatories, we shall no doubt soon
obtain full scientific descriptions of it.
So many comets have already ap-
peared without producing any percep-
tible effects upon the earth. that they
no longer excite emotions Of fear among
scientific men. Argo estimated that
there were at least 100000 within
the liaits of our system, but only a
very small portion Of that immense
number have ever been observed.
Since the birth of Christ, (including
reappearances,) 651 have been visible
during the present century.
The idea entertained by many that
the weather is affected by comets. and
the unusually cool evenings which
have marked the appearance of the
present one apparently render this
opinion plausible, bat it is discredited,
and it is without the slightest founda-
ton either in philosophy or fact.
This subject was very thoroughly
investigated by Argo. He compiled
table, in which he exhibited in one
column the temperature at Paris from
1885 to 1881, and in another the
number of comets which appeared,
with their magnitude and appearance.