The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1874-07-16
Prom the New York Times.
THE COMET. 8 a]a9 aHn
NO DANGER OF Az COLLISION w1gnH THE

ga 98l1a l9a3 49, Ks 4 faes 3atH 99 i
NO DANGER OF Al COLLISION WITH THE
)1a a9 ssa EARTH. 3t#a ra
Since the appearance of Coggia's comet,
considerable speculation has been in
dulged in as to the nature of these bodies,
and various theories have been advanced
which reflect little credit upon the in
telligence of the authors. The comets
train has, of course, fallen in tor large
share of attention, and the probabilities
of its coming in contact with the eHrth
together with the effects of such d COLI
sion upon our planet, have been discussed
in such manner as to excite groundless
fears in the minds of those who are ignor
ant of these subjects. Long before the
subject was taken up by he press in this
CT y, an article appearedin the Times OF
the goth ult., in which it was stated that
no fears whatever need be entertained
upon this point. The fact that the earth
has actually passed through the tail of
Biela scometin 1872 wae.brought forward
in support of this statement. efa fia
/ Biela's comet was discovered in 1926 by
an Austrian officer of that name, accord
/ ing TO the calculations Of Gambert and
Clausen 1t has period Of sixty-six years.
1t disappeared in 1862, and wos not again
seen until the close Of 1879, when it was
reGiscovered by Mr.. Poyscn, the Britieh
Government astronomer at Madras, under
circumstances which leave no doubt that
] the earth bad previously passed through
It's train. The fact was ascertained in
this way: Some years previous the dis
tiDguished Italian astronomer Schiaparelli
iadvaned and ably sustained the theory
that meteoric showers are phenomena
caused y'the passage Of the earth through
Icometic matter Calculations showed that
this comet, if in existence, would cross
the orbit of the earth en- November 81.
1872, and on that particular day a great
star shower was visible in England. The
advocates of. Schiaparelli's theory ascribed
this magnificent meteoric display to the
fact that the eartL had passed through
the tail Of Biela's comet. A dispatch was
lat once forwarded TO Mr.. Poyson, at Mad.
.ras, informing him that Biela touched the
earth on the 9th Of November, and re
louesting him to search near Theta Cen
Itauri, that constellation not being visible
to ad vantage except in the southern hemi-
! sphere. In December. Mr.. Poyson found
the comet in the region pointed out, and
thus confirmed the theory that the star
shower Of the 9th of November was
{ occasioned by collision with the comets
/ train. The radiant point of the shower
was in Andromeda,and it had been ascer.
tanned that Biela's comet would oyertake
a the earth In that constellation It was
: calculated that during the five hours
: = which the display lasted the earth hao
e made pathway for itself quarter of .
million miles in length by 5000 miles ir
. diameter through the comets train, and
!. yet in this enormous tabular section of the
4 train, having volume of about 12. O0O, OO(
: cubic miles, thece were but some thousand
o. scattered shreds of matter 50 minute as
to oeunable to penetrate our atmosphere
!, This fact has clearly shown that there ia
|. nothing to be feared from coming in con-
!. tact with the train of q comet. taU
AS to the composition of the nuclei OF
comets very little is known. It is expect
!. ed, however, that the spectroscopic exam
ination of Coggia's comet will lead to i'm
portant scientific discoveries in this re-
lspect. Since the spectroscope has been
} brought into use by astronomers in the
study of the physical constitution of the
celestial bodies no brilliant comet visible
to the naked eye las appeared in that
sEportion of the heavens they have been