The New York herald., 1874-07-08

riga thus:-
Ursa Major Capella
The comet will then be found somewhere about A,
at nearly one-thrd of the distance between Capella
and Ursa, and In the immediate vicinity OF two
stars of the fourth magnitude pertaining to the
constellation OF the Giraffe. AS at this time Of the
year perfect darkness does not set In before ten
O'Clock the observation should not be attempted
before that hour. On the 18th OF July the comet
will be rather conspicuous object in the heavens
though nothing like those OF 1853 and 1862. On the
11th OF next month the passage through the
periheion will take place; the distance OF
the comet from the sun will then be 81, 2,5o00O0
miles, and it will then be 100 times brighter
than 1t was when first discovered. Father secchi
not long ago examined this heavenly Dody spectre
ecopcally and found the carbon lines as usual;
this element indeed never ails to exist as prin-
ctpal constituent in those capriclous denizens of
the heavens. II carbon existed in comets in the
shape OF an oxide, our meeting one would by no
means be unattended with danger, lor we might
al be stineG in consequence OF the wholesale pois-
onng OF our atmosphere by that deleterious agent.
Such catastrophe is fortunately exceedingly un-
Nkey at all events 1t Will not be brought about by
Coggia's comet, which Is untold miles away
from us.
York that 1t would take as long for her to reach
here as to get decision from the Court OF Appeals
AZ Albany, or for the Police Commissioners to de-
eide upon whom should devolve the Presi dency Of
the Board Our correspondence in regard to this
comet which will be found appended, Is worth
reading. The comet during ages past has been
regarded as the harbinger of misery to man,
With our primary school education and more regu-
lar diet we have come to regard the comet as q
humbug by comparison with the character she
was awarded in the centuries gone by. She is o
poor harmless creature, innocent as Fifth ave.
nue. sylph who looks through a cloud OF descend
ing eyelashes at the men she happens to pass
upon the street.
VIEWS OF A PRAIRIE ASTRONOMER.
The nights henceforth may be clearer and
brighter. The comet will not run away from us.
Her approach is still very distant. An astronomer
out West whose observatory rests upon the broad
prairie lands OF Nebraska, makes the statement
that Is all nonsense to suppose collision with
the earth by the tail OF comet can produce any
disastrous consequences. Finding that the effects
Of gravitatlOn fai to account Tor such anomalous
movements, astronomers have been generally dis
posed to ascribe a somewhat different character to
the phenomenon AcGoraing 10 Euier ana ~ DelaIn IAN
the comet by the impulse OF solar rays and Eerschel
modides the theory by ascribing the separation TO
the electrical repulslOn OF the SUM- but to form u
line constantly ranging with the central luminary
the matter should be driven into space with a lar
greater velocity than the comet has In describing
Its orbit, and the sun could scarcely communicate
the requisite centrifugal motion If his repulslve
power were times tb as powerful M ,Ss as
several members OF the solar system show that the
repehng power OF the central orb N 1t has any ex-
istence must be extremely feeble in comparison
to his attractive power and no astronomer has
hitherto found 1t necessary to take into consldera-
tion the slight influence which 1T eXerts even on
cOmetary orbits.
Modern chemistry has revealed some properties
ofhght which may give rise 70 the extraordinary
appearances attending the returns OF comets to
the interior OF the solar domain. Among the nu-
merous chemical agencies winch we are permitted
to command, the solar rays hold prominent place,
and their power OF effecting decompositlons and
inducing chemical changes is modified to consid-
cradle extent, not only by the bodies that reflect
through which they are transmitted. Sulphate OF
quinine and many otner fluids are found capable
OF altering the nature and the chemical efficiency
Of the light which passes through them weaken
ing some OF the rays and rendering Others more
observed that these media after q time fail to In
nuence the character OF the iight: anu 1t would
seem that their properties are impaired by the
work they are called TO perform.
The interest IN the comet viii remain unabated
Is long as we enjoy such clear nights as we had
last evening. More telescopes and opera glasses
searched the sky last evening than ever had OcCa
sion to search 1t before.
Tonight the same process will Ue repeated, and
before the comet leaves us more general difu-
1on OF astronomy among the masses VIM nave
taken place than we could ever possibly nope to
have under any other circumstances.
The Speed OF the Comet.
Henry NJ. Parkhurst writes:-
The brightness OF the comet on the Sd and SCI
indicates that it will have equality on July Il
with the star Affair. the brightest STAR with three
exceptions, visible in the evening with 1t. As Do
natis comet equalled Arcturus IN brightness, an
by NO means confident that the present Will b,
equally bright.
The motion OF the earth Is 1, $50 900 miles per day
that OF the comet about 100000 miles per day
and will continue about the same SO long as 1t re
mains visible. The motion OF that part of the tai
nearest us Is nearly 6,00Q,0 900 miles per day-tha
IA, seventy miles per secoud-whlCh Is 5000 tin ~
faster than the motion OF an express tram. IN,
miles at the distance OF 26,000,O00 miles from III,
head, when 1t shall have reached that length.
the earth were to pass centrally through Il, til,
passage would occupy about twenty-iour hours
Passing through the extreme edge, as l at frs
thought possible, would not occupy more than lou
TO SIX hours. My computations indicate that the
nearest approach TO the centre OF the tan Will Dt
not less than 100000 miles, which would be q dis
tance from the edge OF the tail OF 100000 miles
which is Six times the distance OF the moon. Bu
this will be sufficiently near to cause 1t to appeal
Enormously large, II 1t can be seen at all, OF whici
hope to be able to speak more definitely within
lew days. One thing Is certain 1t Will be ther'
whether we can see 1t or not.
Mayor Havemeyer on the Comet.
From the SUM-
The reporter inquired whether he had received
any letters ABOUT the comet.
about commerce." said the Mayor; "why, o
course have-dozens of them. What aDou
themYr