The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1874-07-09
nor Cn\FRNOE
Joseph Titcomb,
Tie Comet.
OF kENNEBtr Nh


before made reference, has increased its
apparent size by nearer approach to the
earth, jntil ii Is now the most conspicuous
object in the northern heavens, and at
| tracts the attention Of the most casual OBJ
server on clear evenings, as soon rs dark
nes9 SETS In. II is situated at ten O'Clock
about midway between the north star and
the horizon, the head bright star, and
the tail streaming upward. This comet,
called Coggia's, from the discovcreT, was
first made known to the public April 18th,
1874 from the observatory at Marscillcs
OF course it has created excitement
among American astronomers. who are
| paying it special attention. and predict
| that il will increase in brilliancy for
! ten OF fifteen days 10 come Professor
| Lyman, at Yale College, says that its APP
| parent path now is toward the sun-that
| is, il strikes in between Us and the sun.
The probability is that the tail will be
| quite 4 conspicuous object Much depends
/ however, on the amount Of matter in the
| comet as to the extent OF the tail The
nucleus OF the comet will probably be SO
near the sun that the head will be invisible
that is, that it will disappear below the
northwestern horizon-as it is going so
near the sun, The nearest it will approach
! the earth will leave it about the same dis
| lance from us as Venus, when at inferior
conjunction After it disappears from the
northern hemisphere it will be visible in
| the southern hemisphere, its motion being
nearly directly south from the pole-star
| As to the tail reaching us, it is more than
! probable that we shall not perceive the
visitor, although of course, no one can at
the present time say whether the sweep
of the tail shall touch the earth OF not
| Even II the tail did touch the earth the
| touch would lhel5- b. lifi',,-o ~ lie
scarcely perceptible. The shooting stars
are associated with comets and are prob
ably the debriSot comets, as was especial
" illustrated with Biela's comet and the
metcoric shower of November p, 1872
Those showers We're simply portions Of
Biela $ comet
The appearance Of this comet natnra ly
turns attention 70 the history of its prcle-
cesseors, OF which events the people of
former ages emf ertained great fears. They
were suppoqedto presage wars, pestllence
and famine, and were greatly dreaded by
the kings and cmperors of the earth One
hundred and thirty years before the birth
OF Christ comet appeared Of such bright
ness that it is said to have rivallcd the sun,
In 1856, Charles Fifth, alarmed by the APP
pearance of a comet, resigned his throne.
In s.''71 all Europe was alarmed by comet
OF great size, and religious services were
held TO avert Divine wrath. In 1905
trlghttnl comet appeared, with an enor-
nous tail curved like a scythe. In fact
these bodies are constantly appearing, but
at irregular Intervals Astronomers con-
clude that while some have regular mo-
LlollA III OlDltS llht lilc JliutlS, OLlleIS are
wild fellows, that come and 60 without
fixed laws Bella, who had calculated the
Orbit Of Il comet that he had discovered,
and predicted its return at a fixed date,
was astonished to find that it not only
came back, hnt brought another one with
it,
Within the memory Of people now liv-
ing no comet has been more beautiful than
Donatti'S, in the autumn of 1853, when it
was brilliant object in the western sky.
The "War comet Of 1861 will be remem-
hered as one of uncommon size that burst
with sudden glare upon the world and
passed as quickly as it came Comets
have since appeared in 1864, 1871, and
l8113-but not visible to the naked eve.
1t was during the appearance OF Donat-
it's comet, we think that DR.. Holmes pub
lished his facetious lines beginning
The Comet! He is on The WAY
And singing as he flies;
The whizzing planets shrink before
The spectre of the skies:
All. well may regal orbs burn blue.
And satellites turn pale.
Ten billion cubic miles of head
Ten billion leagues of tall