The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1874-07-16
The Comet.

Probably all the readers of The IF0rld
have ere this seen the comet which is now
attracting universal attention among the
unscientIiic as we'll as the men Of science.
1t is plainly visible after dark, IN spite
even of hazy weather, in the northwest
heavens, with its star-like head and WELL
defined tail, the former tending 10 the
horizon and the latter pointing TO the
north, with q veiy slight inclination TO the
east. The comet is approaching the eartE,
but no alarm need be aroused by this fact,
for the reason that while a contact with
any portion Of it, either the nucleus or the
tail, is only remotely possible, no danger
need be anticipated IN case of collision, and
no more phenomenal effect on our atmos-
phere than shower Of meteors.
1t was on April II that NJ. Coggia, while
taking observations at the Observatory of
Marseilles, discovered the comet that bears
his name. 1t was coming up gradually,
barely discernable in the polar regions Of
the northern sky, thin, nebulous speck,
showing vaguely against the darkness Of
the heavenly vault. As it progressed in
its approach to the sun, however, it grew
In size rapidly, its coma developing around
its head and its wide and diaphanous tail
increasing IN proportions. When dlscov-
cred its distance from the sun was, in round
numbers, about i53,000,000 miles, and
from the earth, 133, ,000, 900 miles. To-day
10Th inst j at its perihelion, when it will
be closest to the sun, it will be about g.
10000 miles from that luminary and A.
100000 miles from our globe. From this
date to the Doth, il will gradually increase
its distance from the sun while nearing
the earth: for on the 20th OF July it will
be sc, ,000, 900 miles from the sun and only
Ito speak comparatively-26,0 900, 900 Of
miles from our globe. From that time
forth it will gradually lose in brilliancy
until its final disappearance down the hor-
izon between the 4th and 9th of August,
and after the 10th it wall increase its DIS
tance both from sun and earth. In estI-
mating its degree Of brilliancy from the
date OF its discovery by NJ Cogg:a to the
day when it will vanish, the following will
serve TO show its luminousness at certain
dates: April II, /; May "a, 3; June 10, z;
June "a, 20; July 3, 40; July s, co. July
13, 100; July l9, $50; July 26, l20; Au-
gust 3, 50, August 6, 80. Representing
lts light by that Of known stars, it may
be said that on April II 1t couesponded
10 that Of a star Of the ninth magnitude
May %. TO that Of a star Of the seventh:
June 10, sixth; June 90 fifth; July 8,
fourth. July Is, third; and on August 4,
fourth On the 18th Of July, although
lees brilliant than Donati's comet Of 1855
and that of 1852, and from that time un-
til the Goth, it viii present bright spec
tacle. The comets position at this date
may be plainly described as forming the
acute angle of two lines, one drawn down
ward from the polar star and the other
from that one of the two stars in the
group called the "Dipper" known as the
Pointers" which IS nearer TO the polar
star. Or the 18th inst. IL will have passed
into the constellation known as Lynx"
on the 10th it will be at point north by
west Of the stars Castor and Pollux in the
Twins" and on the 10th it will touch the
eeliptlc at a point about midway between
the central stars Of the signs of the "Crab"
and the "Iwins" in ihe zodiac.
One Of the greatest comets on record is
that known as Halley's comet, so called
from the great astronomer, who satisfae-
torily established its period of revolution.
This comet, 1t Is now believed, was that
which appeared in the year $50 B. G. with
a light more brilliant than that Of the sun.
In 1856, not long before the invasion OF
England by William the Conquerer. this
comet again appeared, and was deemed IN
that country the herald of the victory af-
terwards achieved by the Norman. Its
size at that time was equal 10 the moon
at IFS full, and its enormous tail stretched
from the horizon 10 the zenith. It's pres
ence in 1876 threw CONSERVATION into
Christendom, and il was regarded as a
portent OF some terrible evil approaching
Lord save US from the devil, the Turk,
and the comet p is given as the prayer OF
the Pope in whose reign it appeared The
years 1881, 1907 and 1862 were marked
by the appearance of important comets
believed to be that Of $50 B, C. and lO66
and l456 A. d. The length Of time be-
tween its appearance in 1881 and 1907
was seVenty-six years, between l607 and
1852 seventy-hve years. In 1852 HALEY
discovered II, and believing that the three
comets were identical, he fixed the period
Of is return at seventy Eve years later
N the last Of 1858 or the first days Of
l759. HALEY died before the interval had
elapsed, but his prophecy was singularly
correct, Tor the comet was discovered on
Christmas night. l75s, by Saxon peas
ant, Seyenty-seven ye&rs after, or in
1885, Halley's comet again made its ap-
pearance, and according 10 his system it
must next be looked for in 1910.
In the list below are given the prisci-
pal-eomets whose periodic appearances are
computed;