The Lincoln County herald., 1871-12-07
Comets.


6sld Of our vision will give interest 10 a
few remarks on these remarkable and &c
centric bodies. Their extraordinary ap-
psarancs caused them to be regarded in
ancient times with superstitious terror.
sud as representations Of war and other
great disasters. Their ominous aspect is
heightened by their visiting our part Of
the heavens from all directions, and
crossing the usual west to east course Of
the planets at all possible angles. More.
over, the train Of faint light which they
leave behind them is o substance SO ex-
tremely thin that the smallest stars may
be seen through it; aud it is so slightly
ponderable that the proximity Of a comet
200, 100000 miles in length seldom dis,
turbs the equilibrium of any body which
it may happen to pass
But that it has weight we have evi.
dence, for the velocity Of comets dimin.
ish, fact which also determines that
the ether Of illimi,able space is a resist.
ing medium, sensible to body or such
inappreciabe tenuity. However, the
matter 10 o comet is SO small in weight
that the comet of 1770 was involved, as
it were, among Jupiter's satellites for
some months, without any disturbance
Of either TO the slightest degree The
comet Of the year 1770 is an exception
to this rule. In that year it was seen to
be moving in tho usual elliptical orbit,
having period Of 81 years But on
calculating its time, astronomers found
that it had passed near the planet Ju-
piter, the attraction Of which immense
body had disturbed its course to a re-
markable degree, and this accounted for
its being unrecognized BY the scientific
world, it's period, previous to the psrtur.
baton, having been As years. 1t returned
to the sun in l776, but was not visible
to US, Again in 1873, it was so attracted
by the same planet that its orbit was
changed into one of lG years, with a
perihilion, of nearest to the sun, distance
Of 300, 900, 900 miles and it has never
revolution Of Encks's comet has dimin-
ished, by about 3 days, in 80 years, that
is, in about % revolutions.
The great discovery that led to q COM
prehensioD of the nature Of the orbits
of comets was made by DR.. Hally, that
eminent astronomer, asserting that the
great comet Of 1882 was identical with
those of 1907, 1881 and l456, and fore
telling it's temperance in 1853. 1t was
retarded, however, between one and two
years, and reappeared in 1S45. Its mex.
visitation will be in the year 1912, or
thereabouts. History mentions appear
ances Of this comet as far back a. the
year II b.
There is little reason to doubt that the
earth passed through the tail Of the
comet Of 1861. Mr.. j. r. Hind, the
astronomer Royal, predicted that the
transit would take place on Sunday, june
80, of that year, and Mr.. Lowe, another
English astronomer, reports that on the
evening Of that day "ths sky had yel
low auroral, glare.lik look and the sun
though shining, gave but feeble light
The comet was plainly visible at AT
p. M, during the sunshine, while OF
subsequent evenings it was not seen til
an hour later. In the parish church
the vicar had the pulpit candles Lighted
att O'Clock, which proves that sensa-
tion Of darkness was felt even while th'
sun was shining. The comet itself had ,
much more hazy appearance than at ap!
time after that evening"
The comet Of Encke, as above stated
has q perlod Of about 81 years. 1t passe
nearest to the sun at distance Of 32,-
0OO, 900 miles, about the radius of tn
orbit Of Mercury. Its greatest distance
from the center of the solar system i
386, 100000. 1t will reach its perehilio,
in January next, but will be visibl
through telescope some months befor
that time. The appearance Of come
in oar heavens is usually accompanied b,
high temperature of the weather.
Welook forsome important discoveries
as to the nature Of these mysteriou
: bodies, bymesus Of the spectrosoope, th
marvellous instrument that Is destined Il
charm. 60
!, "Her secret from the latest moon.''
Scientific American.