The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1874-07-10
THE EGZS.
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FRIDAY, JULY 10, 1874.
The Comet.

STATEMENTS OF SCIENTIFIC OBSERVERS.
The latest views of scientific men on the
Cogga comet are given in the New York
Herdd. Professor Eastman, of the National
Observatory at Washington, says:
The comet will reach that point tits peri
helon), in its path nearest the sun, about the
Sth of july but will be nearest the earth and
brightest about the Goth of July. Its least dis
lance from the earth will be about that of
Venus. The reports about the disasters which
will occur should the comets tail come in
contact with the earth are purely sensational
since it is well known that stars as small as
the ninth magnitude have been distinctly OBJ
served through the densest portion ofthe nl-
cei of comets. No influence whatever on
the weather, the climate or the health of the
inhabitants of our planet from comets has
ever been determined.
You have no idea that the tail of this
comet can possibly brush the earth or our
moon and cause thereby important atmos-
pheric changes"
"Oh, no. 1t is surprising that intelligent
men can indulge in such absurdities | do
not believe that this comet, for instance in
its nearest approach to the earth, will have
rs much effect upon its atmosphere, in any
quarter, as a cyclone or thunder shower on
our Atlantic coast has upon the atmosphere
over San Francisco"
How much longer to us will this comet
be yisible?"
ITO the Atlantic States it will begin to be
pretty well down to the horizon at twilight
about the 18th of this month On the
Pacific slope, particularly down toward Ma
zatlan, it will be visible for some DAYS longer,
and month hence they will probably be
able to see it in Australia. But month
hence this comet will have swept over mil
lions OF miles i'll its retirement or reDulsion
from the SUM-"
And are comets never anything but at
tenuated gas?'
Never anything more, so far as they have
been carefully observed. Through the nu-
ceus of the comet of 1861 | saw stars of the
ninth magnitude, and the nucleus of this ap-
pears quite as transparent. Indeed this is but
tourth-class comet, at best, and its nucleus
is so attenuated that, if reduced to ball of
solid matter, you could probably hold it in
the palm of your hand"
Professor Swift, of Rochester, New York,
says: There is no probability of the tail of
the comet enveloping the earth OF MOON
The elements Of this comet do not resemble
those Of any comet that has appeared during
the last two thousand years. Its orbit is no
doubt parabolic, and it is visiting us for the
llrst and last time. In the next two weeks
more will be learned of the physical nature
VI ooii..s Ny INC spccuoscope IMAM mas Decn
learned i'll four thousand years. Indications
last night and tonight Thursday are of sub
divisions of the tail. The comet is large and
so is the nucleus, with disc more planetary
than stellar. Should the tail increase in width
as well as in length, and envclop the earth, we
should be insensiblc to it, the matter compos-
ing it being so rare. The rate ofmotion is now
thirty miles per second, and directly toward
us. On the 10th of July it will be nearest
the sun. The tail this evening is seven or
eight degrees in length, and on the side near
est the sun il has bunchy, ncbulous appear
ance, rs though there was new tail form
ing. Its brliancy is tenth greater than
last evening In world whose elements
have such great activity this change will ap-
pear almost instantly.