The New York herald., 1874-07-02

NOTB.-Tne position IN Jno nOTLnwestern heavens
OF the Comet Coggia, between nine and half.past
nine, this evening, may be ascertained by THIS
diagram.
This comet recedes during its seventy-ive years to
o distance from the sun greater than that of the
planet Neptune several comets are well known
to have orbits lying wholly within
THE SPHERE OF NEPTUNEs DISTANCE.
One was first examined in ls1s BY Encke. and
identified with the comet that had been
seen in 1906, 1905 and 1885, Its return
has been observed ever since at periods
of thirty three years. Encke's observations upon
1t enabled him to identify 1t with the one described
by Michalar and Messien In 1885; also with the
comet discovered in 1895 by Miss Herschel, and
the one Of 1906. Encke predicted its temperance
in 1922, and his prediction was realized by It's
being discovered on the I'd OF June Of that year by
Thomas Brislure, and its return was noticed again
in 1925 and 1928. This comet Is celebrated for
having revealed, as many astronomers think, the
existence OF q resisting medium in the inter-
planetary space. Herschel and others dissent
from this view of Encke and attribute the change
m this comets motion to the gradual loss OF Its
tail.
Besides the comet OF 1859, of which, as we have
already stated, there have been nve authenticated
returns, there are several Others OF which sOme-
thing like return may be traced at
LONG INTERVALS.
One OF these passed It's periheliOn at about eight
O'Clock on the morning Of the 9th Of July, 1864,
and again at little past eight O'Clock on the even
ing OF the 2lst OF April, l556a period Of about 292
leel-a period OF about i2a years The return OF
that comet should have been in 1900. In that year
comets their but neither
periods Of NEST Ol the comets examined are COM
parativey short: those OF others have been ascer-
''''''N W aREAT COMET OF ISL
remained visible for upwards Of two months, ana
lander, q noted French astronomer. fixes It's
time OF the return Of the comet OF 1907 was fxed
BY BiRsel at 1.546 years.
was discovered February n, 1925. It's orbit was
computed BY Gambart at Versailles, and Clansen
At Altoona, and It was found to be Identical with
SIX ana three-auarter years. its return in 1915
attracted 2 good deal OF attention on account OF
servatory on January l., Of tnat year, that what
had hitherto appeared as single body was
TWO DISTINCT AND SEPARATE COMETS
Ine s, same discovery was made by several Euro.
pean observers on the 18th Of that month. These
two parts pursued their way independently OF
each other and without any influence on each
other that can be detected by our measurements.
nucleus was observed at Cambridge, England, SIX
weeks before 1t was known to be IN existence, the
nearly invisible, as it was subsequent tiy discovered
that both nuclei are subject to sudden changes In
visibility.
was dlscovered IN 1s43, and made It's second ap-
pearance In 1851, Its third in September, 1858.
comet was discovered by
at Florence. June 1858. during the third week
IN August IT'S tail began to be developed, series
OF nebuious envelopes being formed aOOut the nu-
cleus, blending together on the side opposite the
sun and streaming out its tail. During the first
turus, near which 1t passed, and bore Q train OF
great Dri!liancy more tnan twenty degrees in
less than that Of Venus ana recedeG to an ,ncacn
liable distance, so that 1t Ia not known whether is
earth.
Among the comets
MOST RKMARKABLB
either Tor great splendOr or enormous real dimen.
sons in recent times must be mentioned those OF
1850 1907, lSl1 1875 1s19 1925 ls43 lsl7 1858 and
1867; asas. among the most remarkable phenomena
the
aN TAILS
OF the great comet Of 1744, and the division Of
Bielas comet In 1852 both comets were stll visible
passage OF 1859 took place uf ct al under circum-
stances unfav0rable for observation. The return
was NOT nor has II
appearance, unless one OF the bodies now attract
ing 80 many eyes heavenwsrd should have some
snce Of Bieia;s comet ct sir John HerscSel asks
"Can 1t have come into contact with some asteroid
and got bewudered among the
RING OF AETEORITES,
whicn astronomers more than suspectT' rhe
recent discovery OF the fact that the November
and August meteor systems follow In the track Of
two comets tthe November meteors following the
comet November l, 1896, and the August
following the conspicuous comet OF 1862
has led TO some
INTERESTING sPECULATIoNs
the nature OF comets and meteOrs.
to whom the discovery Ia In part DUE
considers the meteors to be dispersed portions OF
stance with which the comet entered the solar
domain. Thus comets would come TO be regarded
~ Ss OF multitude OF relatively minute
gaseous and the meteors as due to the sodaca-
tlon OF portions OF the gaseous coma which have
forms It's tall. -Four comets examined by Dr. Hug
gins OF England, showed spectra indicative or
brighter part Of the coma are concerned.
The outer part OF the coma seems TO
me 1 eas ny % Two
trum slnguarly like one OF the spectra OF carbon.
Yet astronomers say It is difficult TO understand
gas under the conditions actually existing In the
case OF these comets The speotroscopic Observa-
confirmed by Professor Young, OF Dartmouth Col
leRe. The motion Of Encke's comet observed on
many successive returns. seems to indicate the ex
istence Of resisting medium; but Sir John Her
scnel has suggested another explanation, and
Professor Assph Hall has SHOWN In the American
that II resistance is actually in question such
resistance Affects Encke's comet In an ex-
ceptional manner, for other well known periodic
comets show no traces of Its enects-al the comets
having period OF not exceeding seven yeara'
travel In the same direction around the sun q the
planets. Among comets with periods less than
eighty years long 1ve-sixshs travel IN the same
direction as the planets
COMKARY 6TArrBT1Cy.
All the comets that have heretofore been OBJ
served have made their progress through very
different parts OF the solar system--twenty-s0ur
have passed within the orbit Of Mercury, iorty.
seven within that OF Venus, hfty-eight within that