Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-07-11
A New Theory About Comets.

The comet literature of the period has Just
low developed q new theory IN the speculations
of Prof I've suppose be is PrOfessor) Lorenzo
Rank of Chicago. This Western comsteer
breaches the hereteal doctrine that comets are
really tsiIIess, AMI that the apparent tail is
produced BY tie rays OF the sun Issing through
the nucleus OF the erratic traveller. The Gomez
ne says, bsing lOjy of atmosphere, a
transparent globe, the rays of the sun, strik-
irg il, instead OF being absorbed OF reelected pass
night on through II. BY the friction thus under
gone they become heated, and Consequently
produce light and become visible. In this
heated condition these rays leave the comet and
pass on into space, remaining visible so long as
they retain the hear, and thus forming the So
called comets taIl,-the surface Of the comet
being convex, which turns the rays towards a
focus, thus causing the frequent fsn-shaped
tails.
Prof. Of he IS PrOfessOr) Rank goes farther.
he advances the theory that a comet is the FIRST
Gganized state OF planet, that comets do not
proceed beyond the solar system; that, when far
away from the sun, they become condensed, and
move slowly. Being then small, and stu ated
where the rays OF the sun are scattering, an in
Sufficient number will pass through them for
visibility. In this condition they are attracted
by the sun, and begin mov wing towards it. The
nearer the comet gets TO the san, the more RAYS
1t will encounter, the more rays that pass
through il, the more heat and light IL will gem
crate; the more heated il becomes, the greater
will be its expansion; the larger it gets, the
more rays il will reach, the more brilliant it will
be, and the longer and more luminous will be
IT'S sO-called tail; at last it becomes so in
tensely heated and expanded a. to cause
q change in the law from attraction to
repulsiOn, and thus IL thrown off again
In the course OF time, this atmospheric globe
Will form an opaque nucleus, and commence
absorbing portion of the suns rays, they be-
ing particles OF matter. An increase in the
bulk OF such nucleus will then be constantly
going 81. The original cause of the nucleus
may have been that the comet came in contact
with meteor or fragment OF a broken-up
planet, tie attractive force being sufficient TO
combine them. 1t being now that what rays
fall upon the nucleus are absorbed, a shade is
created opposite it from the sun, thus visibIy
making the comet a hollow cone, and appa-
rntly dividing its tai In the manner well de-
seTibed by Mr.. Colbert. The reported comet
q several tails, with one pointing towards the
sun, Il attributable TO reiectiOD,-the nucleus
or PORTION Of II, being of a reflective nature,
returning the suns rays in a heated. and, there
fore, visible condition, in the direction whence
they came, and thus forming the apparent tail
In an opposite direction from the others. The
curvature OF a comets tail Is also only appa-
rent, and Is owing to the angle it occupies to
the eye Of the behOldeT; viewing an object
obiiqu9ly through the atmosphere changes to
some extent the true representation.
From the above il will be noticed that the
most essential point oFthis theory different from
others Is, that the heat and light OF the sun we
experleEce-and just now 80 p!entifulIy- do not
directly come from the sun, but are effected by
hisrays coming in contact and passing through
our atmosphere, and that similar effects are pro-
cnced wherever there is atmosphere, which IS
the case with comets.
This will do until the next cometic theory il
brOached.