The Hawaiian gazette., 1868-10-07

EYCKE's CoMET-ITs EXPECTED APAEAR-
AYcE.-Encke's comet is due, says the
Providence Journal and the star gazers
are turning their telescopes to the skies in
hopes of discovering the presence of the
expected visitor 1t is interesting chiefly
for performing its revolution within the
boundaries of the solar system for the COM
paratively short period within which its
revolution takes place, and for the reason
that we know more about it than we do of
those vast ethereal creations which visit
our system and then rush off into space.
Encke's comet, although it was really
discovered by NJ. Pons on his return in
1916, was seen four times before its identi-
ty was determined. 1t was first detected
by French discoverer in 1856, then by
Miss Caroline Herschel in 1895, again by
Frenchman in 1905, and lastly by NJ.
Pons in 1876. Astronomers began to
mark the similarity of the orbits of the
comets, and NJ. Encke by combining the
observations that had been made, demon
strated that it was one and the same COM
ct which had appeared at these different
times Encke then predicted its return
in 1922, the position which it would oc-
cupy among the stars, and also that it
would only be seen in the southern hemis-
phere. He had the happiness of finding
his predictions verified by the observations
of an astronomer in New South Wales.
Since this time, there have been thirteen
returns of this eccentric visitor to its peri
helion, every one of which has been pre-
dict cd xrytfh thu
The orbit of Enckes comet is an eclipse
inclined at an angle of thirteen degrees to
the plane of the earth's orbit. At its
nearest point it is 81 100000 miles, and at
its most remote point it is 377,000,0O0
miles from the sun. Its periheion is be-
tween the sun and Mercury, and its aphe-
lion is between Jupiter and Asteroids.
Its motion, like that of the planets, is from
west to east, and its revolution is complet-
ed in l,2lO days, subject to variation
which is caused by the disturbing inhuen-
ces Of the planetary masses near which it
comes in its eccentric course.
Encke's comet is by no means remark
able one. 1t is a telescope comet and
consists at a circular patch of nebulous
light, few minutes of an arc in diameter
and somewhat condensed toward the CEN
tire. Though usually only visible through
telescope it has been distinctly seen by
the naked eye. Such was its appearance
in 1928, when it was in favorable condi-
ton for observation and its light was equiv
alent to that of star of the fifth magni-
tude. At common times there is no trace
of tail but on rare occasions slight |
one has been discerned, once as faint
brush of light extending from the co1et |
towards the sun. and again with a second |
opposite the first. We shall
not enter into scientific details upon the |
citations and contractions of its volume as |
it approaches to or recedes from the sun /;
neither shall we philosopher upon its ex-
IRENE tenuity, so that the stars of the |
eleventh magnitude may be seen through |
its transparent substance; neither shall we |
calculate mathematically the effect upon |
its motion of its vicinity to the planetary
orbs within the sphere of whose attraction
it yields obedience to the universal law.
The little star has its mission. By |
obervations on its excessive perturba- |
tiOns," when nearest Jupiter, the mass of
the huge planet was more accurately deter |
mined, and, in the same manner, when it
was nearest Mercury from the action of
the planet, an error was detected in La |
Places value of Mercury's mass. This
corrected value is the one adopted in the
" American Ephemeris and Nautical Al
manac."
During July the comet rises half an
hour after midnight, and on the 10th Of
the month its place was midway between
the Pleiades and Ioata Aurige, and on the
26th it was between Ioata Aurige and
Beta Tauri. Astronomers all over the
world are sweeping carefully its track
with their telescopes.
The MINERS LAMESTATIos-"Ve Vein veinI