The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1874-07-11
THE COMET.
Baltimore American. June q.

1dILtinuiC hHltTlCau, June &C.
To the great comets of HALEY, Encke,
Donati and Biela, we have to add that of
Coggia, now visible in the heavens, and
dividing the interest that otherwise
would be solely concentrated on the ap-
preaching transit of Venus. 1t was first
noted by Mr.. Coggia at the observatory at
Marseilles, and has since rapidly increased
in apparent size and luminosity. On the Sd
of August, the period of its least distance
from the earth, it will have attained two
hundred ana forty-five times it's first appar-
ent dimensions. At present, even with the
moon at half full, it is visible with the
naked eye, and can readily be perceived
with an ordinary field glass, appearing like
a hazy star in the northwestern sky, below
the Polar Star. The best directions for
finding it that have yet been given are the
following: 'At 8 or 10 o'clock the Dipper
is seen with the handle in the direction from
the horizon. The two lowest stars in the
bowl of the Dipper (farthest from the ham
dle) are called the Pointers, because they
point to the Pole Star: the one nearer the
the Pole Star being called Dubhe. The
comet forms nearly an equilateral triangle
with the Dubhc and the Pole Star, being
stationed below them.'' The tail is above
the nucleus, and inclined toward the Polar
Star. 1t is only moderately developed, as
the nucleus is approaching the earth, and
will at no time exhibit magnitude OF
length comparable with Donati's comet
which was fifty millions of miles long, or to
those of the comets of 1850 and 1911, which
were respectively ninety-six millions of
miles and one hundred millions of miles in
length. Still less will it bear comparison
with that of the comet of 1S43, whose lu-
minous train was estimated to have been
one hundred and fifty millions of miles in
length.
The present comet will be. at the most IA
vorable position for observation from ahnnt
the middle OF the coming month up to its
end, after which it will recede from us as
rapidly as it has approached. Its visit will
be made the occasion of more complete sci
SAtAltO obSSifdLlOu GIidA AdS UcCU pOSStDl6
in the case of previous comets, the improv-
ed apparatus of astronomers and especially
the use of the spectroscope, furnishing them
with facilities for the accurate determine
ton OF the material composing the ap-
preaching body not heretofore possessed.
Various theories are held on this point,
which is still a matter of great uncertainty
The fact that the tails of comets alternate
ly move toward the sun and are srepelled
from it has been taken as proof that they
are merely electric matter exhibiting this
polarity in consequence of the SUMS at
traction. Others hold that the tails are
composed of incandescent meteoric parti-
cles, or of vapor. In November, 1872, the
earth actually came in contact and even
passed through the tail OF comet without
experiencing general consciousness of the
event. It has been calculated that we
passed through 259, 900 miles of the matter
composing this tail, the only result being
a meteoric shower not then attributed to its
proper cause. If the tail had consisted of
meteoric particles, that luminous shower
would have been the result, the matter be-
coming incandescent on striking the atmos-
Rhere, but being consumed by the heat of
its own friction upon the upper layers of our
own air and falling in imperceptible powder
to the surface of the earth. Thus, it will
be seen, the earth is in no danger of the
long-predicted destruction from collision
with comet, being protected by its thin
envelope of atmospheric air, which forms
such wondering highwaymen of the heay-
ems.