The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1865-09-20
The Double Comet.

bielas double comet. one Of The most in-
irres.lu- and important thai visits ogr >ls.
tenn. Is again approaching THE earth. Tl.
near Intersection of It's orbit af the point uf
It's descending node with our owu ora.l.
and as separation iuto two distinct comets.
are circumstances which distinguish il wide
IS from other Clmt~ and make It au object
~ special interest and concern b. nlI
perhaps be remembered that the re-ann,ir-
ance Oi this comet in lo52. was the occasion
ol universal apprehension lor the saiolt ,f
Our globe. The alarm arose from the TACT
lhat It's paths, in the celestial space. las
across tAat OF the earth'S orbit. and Thar
butn the comet and earth We're approach
ln.. with great velocity, thi, ycrl point Of
intersection. 80 great was the popular
panic n France ai that time. that the got-
elnmeul instructed ~ AagD I'd write g
treatise 90 refnte the probability ola coils
ion. liy process 0i arithmeiical calcui.-
tom lhis distinguished ,ural.t demonstrated
iAal ihe comet NollIarrNe al the iu.,r-eO
ion ui -he two paths one whole month ls-
fore ihe e1rih and consequently There nuf
Iis i.y 'hf 'bhaf52t'. 52ft' n5Weser I'D Tot ilcn il, a
preciate the assurance which The aStroac-
mrr Was all- fu give. and were anpre..r
siNe lest bis calculation had omitted 90 esq
mate some influence which mi ght havetlcci-
feet toretari ihe motion oI the cometa ameutA
AMI bring ile earth auJ comet af the sAua
point al the same time. or made some other
error which might head to The same ie-uI
N heu the comet appeared. ID feeling of cul-
Germ ali anxiety Tor the tate oi our sphere
Na- therefore very generally oNreu,ncel
and millions continued t1reglri b. with eN-
trene sohciude and terror iin the path d..
our globe hal actually been crossed. This
intersection Oi the orbits still remains.
though the periods OF the earth and Tine
comet not being exactly commensurate.
and The latter Is not In The same place wlcl
The former is 40 the point OF crossing.
/ But although 10 may happen that n ths
course OF ages, the Two bodies may lair.F
/ encounter each other Toy reason oi ibis ANA
the influence OF the planets the world wlN
never again DE alarmed as It once was l~
4 such "a very improbable aud remote danger.
Tie day Ol ignorance, when the streaming
meteor excited awe and inspired nations
with auf-arctsti..as t------ l.. ,rlit- ll. al.
we now watch the appearance of every c,,,.
80 .,.ifh faaiinus OF admiration, nut ,.--,
-le.i with glAl ilcatiOn. understanding iLt
harmonious aat uucbau-Iu. laws which
regulate and control The movements ol al
heavenly bodies. each fry visitor only adds
20 oar knowledge of that portion VI ilfuiI,
space through which our system moves Ou
Nard 10 b.. grand centre. Thus Dr. Niche
has calculated The amount OF the iufucnc.
of the great planets ol Bielas comets pe
rolcAl motion. and has produced an cm
phemcris showing the path which 3D. wf
follow among Tie stars, while 't Is in th'
vicinity oi oar globe ana also showing Oh.
distance from the earth. day hy dav, tiil j
disappears.
Tie comet !, not kct sufficiently near u
To- be discerned with The telescope. its pres
ent distance being about one hundred mil
lions Of miles, and its position near The icf
. arm "a fanrOWef0. IL is slowly mOvm.
into She adjoining constellation, Yry0e,s
and on The first DAY OF November ueAl
. vii Dee close 10 the bright star l1f.tf ~
3 ygs0 Markab. one OF the four bright iumm
aries which form the well known square ,
Itgusu>. a Wu thrl pursue a soul hrri
- course. crossing the celestial square ahOu
j. the miIdleof DecemheL -nguiarll enuug
IN iheu crosses the old path followed in lr6s
and near point where IL Ra- then oh-er,
P ed 60 separate into Two comets. a. W.
. continue tO approach the earth liu Ihe eu
ot February. Nneu f- distance from ls Wi
r he ouiE about eighteen millions oi miles
Al that time Do wili. lOWeEer. lay. air.u'
- ei mr into The southern heaven aud a'-ai
D. pearej from fiea hore and ln higher iaf
tudc- Free Press