The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1861-05-18
Astronomical.
From the Baltimore Daily Excha nge. |
Thatcher's Comet.

Inatcher'S Comet.
Whether this new comet is return ofthat
one expected during the last two or three
years. known by the name of Charles the
Fifth S Comet, We have not sufficient data at
present 10 determine. This last strange visi-
tor appeared in 1864 and in 1856, and is sup.
posed to return in every three hundred wears.
But on account of the inaccuracy of the OBJ
servations OF FabriciuS. the astronomer of
Charles the Fifth, NJ. BONNIE, by immense
calculation, discovered an error of two years,
more or less SO that this long expected comet
should appear in 1861.
The appearance Of comet visible to the
naked eye is phenomenon so rare, that in
the ages OF ignorance, it was always source
OF terror. Pesti.ence famine, wars, ciyi.
troubles, the death of kings and great men,
we're ascrlbed 10 its influence. Nor have
There been wanting great names to support
thls hypothesis. Helper, the immortal dis.
coverer OF the laws Of motion governing the
planets. believed in the malign inAeEces of
comets. The illustrious Francis Bacon, and
more modern Swans. such as Lydenham,
Lublnletski and Forster, have writer ponder
GUS volumes, demonstrating the pcrnicious in
lluences attributed 10 comets.
M. Arago, the great French astronomer,
has justly remarked that during the period
comet is approaching the earth, every calam-
NY that occurs Is place. to the credit o. the
| strange visitor, from the simple fact that it
is unusual; but we all know that peslilence,
earthquakes, civil war, foundations, &C..
often happen when no comet is visible
Again, II comets exert any influence it is fire.
| 4uenlly OIL an entirely opposite character
For Instance, in 1850 very bright comet
was accompanied by re'y cold wintcr and
a very hot summer, but during its progress
there were no extraordinary phenomena, no
pest'lencc, no volcanic eruptions, no earth.
quakes. When tue ancient authors found
that facts contradicted their theories they were
compelled to admit hut comets 0niy so,rrd IN
Me' passage germs Of epenfs wh,ch wcre dcuel-
opel later.
The belief in cometary inHence has no other
foundation than in the monstrous pride of
kind, pride which is Increased IN pro.
portion to our ignorance, and which leads US
TO believe that the organization of worlds is
modified express for US. Even in the dark.
est Times some great mids rose above the
mass OF superstition and ignorance by which
they Were surrounded. Such was Seneca
who died in the year Is of the Christian era
lie dared to maintain that comets were stars
subjected to the same laws as planets, whilst
his contemporaries regarded them as mQteors
ehgendered IN our atmosphere lie made an
eloquent appeal to the judgment of future
ages. Posterity will be astonshed," said
he that we could be SO isnoran. of N atters
SO simple"
The celebrated Danish astronomer, Iycho
Brahe. was the first to demonstrate that the
region IN which comets revolve is situated be-
yond the limits Of our atmosphere. But the
glory of discovering the laws for the motions of
comets was reserved to Newton. HALEY, by
applying the method Of calculation proposed
by Newton, determined the orbit of the CONT
o! 1852, and predicted its return in 1859. -
On this account, this wandering star took the
name of HALEY, and it is the most important
OF all the comets actually known. 1t reap.
pears i'll every siXty-siX years.
Each OF the appearances of l1alley's comet
was slgnaized by interesting facts. In S37
llalleys comet inspired the unfortunate Louis
the DebOnnure with terror. lie lived for three
years in the most abjec, melancholy, building
churches endowlng monasterss, in order to
tnrn aside the miSiortunes with which hi be-
lieyed himself threatened. The last revolt of
his son. Louisle Germanique. appeared to
justify the dark prescntlmenls Of this unCor.
tunate prince.
In 1906 the same comet was REGARDED nc an
announcement of the success Of the great
enterprise Of William the Conqueror. E" 4
new star, a neV KING "-snch was then the
general opinion In 1856 lis re.a,pearance
caused terror among the Christians and Turks
who at that time were engaged in deadly
conflict. In the public PRAYERS of that day
the Turks and comet were both referred to.
When new comet appears the public 10
often as,:ated as to whether it NAV come in
contact with the earth or not. Mary astr,n.
omcrs, and especially Arago, have discussed
this question. and the result of their invesli.
CATION is that it is almost an impossiblity
that such a collision should take place