Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1869-05-07

RETURN OF A COMET. The London Daily
News Of April "a says: During the last few
weeks astronomers have been on the lookout
for the return of one Of those periodical comets
which form, so to speak, part of the solar
family. The brilliant comets which come to us
from out the depths oil space, and after blazing
in our skies for greater or less interva', pass
away again into those same uniathomed
abysses, are, by comparison, mere occasional
visitors But there is q set OF small comets
which regularly, and at short intervals return
to our neighborhOod; and the one We are now
dealing with belongs to this class.
News has lust come from foreign obserya-
tory that the wanderer has been discovered. -
lie is now traverslng the uuconspicuous con-
stellation OF the Hunting Dogs; but is as yet
far too faint to DC seen without powerful tcle-
Scope Even the possessor of such q telescope
would find it difficult 10 discover the comet
were not its pllce accurately indicated since in
the neighborhood OF its path the mysterious
nebu'e arc spread with unusual proirSlou.
The comet which has just returned is COM
monty called WiDnecke's comet, Having been
discovered by that astronomer in 1858. Ii
must not be coniounded. however, with COM
ct of the same name which returned last year.
The latter was one Of much longer period, and
travels once in five and half years round the
sun. Ii was described in 1858 as having al
first "the appearance Of an underlined nebula,
the light most intense in the centre, but no
true nucleus TO be seen; later a well lmarked
nucleus made its appearance.
"lt must have returned in 1868, but was
not then favorably placed for observation. To-
deed, little consideration will show that
comet travelling in period of five and halt
wears can only be we'll seen ut alternate returns
liat one visit it is well placed 10 the nocturnal
sky, at the next the half year difference brings
it on the diurnal sky and OF course the light
of the sun blots out so faint an object, even
when the most powerful telescope is made use
Of In this matter of its period Wiunecke's
comet is not singular More than halt of the
comets Of short period take about five years
and halt in the performance of their circuit
around the sun. The circumstance Is we'll
worthy OF notice, and has q very interesting
Interpretation. 1t arises from the strange way
in which the short period comets have been
twisted into our neighborhood by the planet
Jupiter,
"This monstrous fellow goes on his rounds
like u gigantic policeman, and takes up comet
after comet, which but for him would have pass
cd lar away from the neigh borhood OF the sun.
Sir John IIerschel has related in lively terms
how Jupiter illtreated Lcxelps comet, first
twisting it into the solar system suffering 1t to
20 twice round the sun, and then unceremonl-
Ously twisting it out again, so that astronomers
have never seen it since. That was precisely
the sort of treatment which it gives to comet
of five and half year period or thereaoouts. -
For comet which has thus been forced into
the solar system must necessarily have the most
distant part of its path Just outside the orbit OF
Mercury, aud tha. being so, the laws OF plane
tary motion tell US Its period must be about
five and half years. The worst OF the matter
is, that with an orbit so placed comet is a..
ways apt to be sent again upon ITS travels by
Jupiter Ii he happen to be near at hand,
when the comet returns to the neighborho0d
OF his orbit, he will twist it out of its path as
easily as the Great Eastern would tow a cock
boat. In fact, the way in which Jupiter treats
the cosmcal clouds which we call comets merits
Tor him the title of CLOUD compcsler, which
Homer gave to the Jupiter of Mount Olympus.
Altogether, We may congratulate ourselves
on the safe return OF the wanderer now visiting
our skies For it has happened quite recent
~, that our astronomers have searched long
and fruitessly for one of the same family. We
refer to the famous comet named after Bicla
the failure in that case being peculiarly pro
yokiug because the comet had presented The
strange spectacle Of perfect division into two
distinct parts, and astronomers were naturally
anxious to know what might be the results OF
this operation, after q complete revolution OF
the twin system. The present comet, though
not quite so remarkable an object, will doubt
less attract great deal of attention.
The following stanzas, alleged to have been
written by Burns have appeared in the Scotch
papers:
BURNS ON CARNw,ATH RoApa.
I'm here at length, thanks to the gods.
Thro roads bath deep and muddy
A plain proof this that maxim roads
Is not the public study
And tho I'm not vi gospel erammd
The Bible plainly says
That people surely shall be d-d
Who DO not mend their lrd.S.
SALES OF REAL ESTATE ~ AUCTION. -Sev
eral valuable pieces of property in this city ant
heishborhcod will be offered for sale to-mor
row. See the advertisements in to days ia