Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1872-08-07
COMETS.

An adventurer astrOnOmieally in
clined predicts that a terrific comet
Will appear in the heavens during the
coming month of August. He says it
! will appear as large as the sun. can be
seen in the daytime and will turn
night into day. He further says that
it will intercept the earth in its flight
around the sun, viii force the earth
| from its present orbit and dash it into
! "AsteFOidapi fragments. Such a ca
tastrophe to our planet and the con-
sequent summary end of the human
race is not pleasant subject to con-
template, but we have no faith in
these predictions Of cometary eolli-
sions and consequent disasters.
There are many comets floating
about in the Solar System, but they
all seem to be regulated by fixed laws
which preclude the probability of
frightful collisions. 1t is true that
comets have approached planets and
remained in close proximity for weeks
and months, but in every instance on
record without any apparent damage
to the planets. Comets may have
their orbits changed by coming in
close proximity to q planet without
producing any perceptible influence
upon the planet or its satellites. The
comet of ITO fell in with the moons
of Jupiter. in June, 1779, and was not
separated from them until the follow
ing October, but the motions of Jupi-
ter and its moons were in no sense in
fiuenced by the contact. On the 9TH
er hand the orbit of the comet was so
changed that it performed a revolu-
tion once in fifty instead of five and
half years. 1t has since been power
fully attracted by Jupiter, and has
been thrown into a third orbit re-
duiring a period of twenty years to
accomplish its revolution. This COM
ct came very near the earth but pro-
duced no sensible effect upon the
length of the year or upon its physi-
cal condition. These circumstances
indicate that these bodies contain a
small amount of matter, and are COM
paIatively harmless in their nature
Another important thing is also in
dicated by the facts above recited. If
the comet of 1770 was entangled four
months among the satellites of Jupi-
ter and then separated from them,
taking Few and long orbit was there
not repelling as we'll as a centripetal
force which guided the comet in its
course? If that comet was repelled
by Jupiter, may we not mfr that
other planets under a similar law
would repel comets before they come
sufficiently near to cause harm. We
have no doubt of such q law which
has been established for the safety
and perpetuity of the planetary sys-
tenn. a comet may contain a suffi-
cient quantity of matter to produce
disastrous results if permitted to oash
against the earth, but we do not be-
lieve the laws of nature will permit
such result.
Besides all this, comets are so irreg-
ular in their times of revolution it is
impossible for any astronomer to cal
culate with any degree of accuracy
where the earth will be In its orbit
upon the return of comets of long
periods, while those Of short periods
are known to be out of our way. We
move at the rate of over one and one
half millions of miles per day, around
the sun, and as all comets of long
periods are irregular in their returns
to their perahelious it is impossible
for any man to predict a collision with
any degree of certainty. An error of
twenty days in calculation would
carry US more than thirty millions Of
miles from the supposed point Of dam
ger, so that we would stand a fair
chance of escape even if the earth did
not possess the power of repelling
such unwelcome visitors.
We advise our readers to give them
selves no uneasiness about the suy-
posed approach of this comet of terrific
proportions. There are no good rea-
sons for apprehending danger.