The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1874-07-16

u0 Il6W comet Is ItLldCt1bS q NO-
gree Of interest from every part OF the
world where it is visible, which no
celestial phenomenon has equalled
since the advent CT the great comet
OF 1858, by far the most wonderful
in every particular of all the great
comets which have appeared in mod
ern times. Whether this will equal
that in any one particular, or whether
it may not surpass it in all, is more
than can be safely asserted at this
time. The brilliancy, apparent mag
nirude and duration Of visibility of a
comet depends upon the favorable
combinati on of many circumstances
which, probably, are not all fulfilled
in any comet once in hundreds of
years. Every one Of them was full
filled in the great comet of 1858,
causing it to take the foremost rank
in respect to the great number of
curious changes which, nightly, We're
going On, and OH scale of magni--
tude, velocity and brilIiancy, which
set at defiance all our ideas of the
established properties of the matter
if not the laws CT gravitation.
The comet, now visible in the
northwest, and which is TO be con.
spicuously so during the next twenty
days, has many elements favorable
to great beauty and splendor, among
which may be mentioned It's motion
toward both the sun and the earth,
Its immense size, the brightness of
its nucleus The latter alone being
prophetic of "a splendid destiny.
Unfortunately, however, the solar
twilight will interfere with its bril-
iancy just at the critical period when
it will be really the brightest, as it
is soon to set in the northwest,
where twilight at this season of the
year lasts till nearly 10 o'clock. No
matter how long and broad it may
spreadits flaming banner on the sky,
twilight will rob it OF half its glory
and length Of train.
Quite change has taken place in
the telescope appearance OF the head
Of the comet during the last twenty
four hours July 2, II p. n.y., a
9hange which argues we'll for others,
%4ich are sure to follow.
The most decisive change, and the
consequence Of which it is difficult
to foresee, is the bringing out of
cOmetic matter at the head nearly
toward the sun, being inclined from
1t only % or 80 Q, thus completely
destroying the parabolic symmetry
which from the first formation of the
tail has been one Of the distinguish
ing characteristics. Perhaps others,
with larger instruments, saw it before
l did. 1t looked as though there
was au internal effort to push out
another tail, almost opposite to the
tail proper. am anxious for anoth-
cr clear night which will either con-
fute or confirm my suspicious. |
also tancled | saw the commencement
OF a process for throwing off tie first
envelope. he cause of which is one
OF the darkest mysteries in cometary
astronomy. Seven envelopes were
thrown off in succession from Don
ats comet, and to great height.
The number, extent and brilIiancy
OF these distinguished Donati's from
all others on which reliable obscrva-
hons have ever been made. The
head OF our comet, at its present
distance from the sun, is larger than
was That OF the comet of 1858, when
at the same distance. It ia st;ll
coming almost directly toward us. at
the astonishing velocity of2, 900. 900
miles a day, arriving at perihelion
(nearest the sum day after to morrow,
when it will be about $4,000, 600
miles from the sun, or just within the
orbit of Venus.
1t will arrive at perigree (nearest
the earthly July 20, at distance Of
26,O0O,0O0 miles. To-day its dis
lance from US is almost exactly, A.
100000 miles. @Nb5t13 En-
Ihe comet is stranger, having
come from some other and unknown
sum- Millions of years it has
been roaming, and now, alas. now
soon to leave no nnuon