The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-07-02
THE CoMET.-After week to look at it and

THE CoMET.-After q week to look at it and
calculate its distance, orbit, position, move
ments &c, the star sazers have been able tc
identify the comet now in sight with the one
reported several weeks ago to have been dis
covered by DR.. Gould at Cordova, in Buenos
Ayres, South America, and of the discovery OF
which the Emperor of Brazil sent telegram
to the Academy of Sciences In Paris two days
before it is claimed to have been discovered
by DR.. Gould. Prof. Hough, of the Chicago
Observatory, persists in identifying it with
the comet of 1907, while Prof Boss, of the
Dudley Observatory, and other eastern astrono
mers declare that it Is neither the comet OF
1907 or 1912, but either new visitor or an old
ono not yet identified. The comet is agreed
to have passed its perihelon on the 10th OF
June to have attained Its greatest briliancy
on the Gath, to be moving at the rate of about
million of miles a day in a northern direc.
ton away from the sun, and about 100000
miles day away from the earth, so that !,
will remain circumpolar and therefore visible
every night for two or three months to come
though gradually decreasing IN apparent size
and briliancy. The diameter of the nucleus
or head of the comet is about 1000 miles, and
of the coma, or vapory envelope surrounding
the head, about $4,000 miles, while the i'm
mensc tail sweeps out into space at least 1000
900 miles, or more than sixteen times the dis
lance from the earth to the moon and one hun
dred times the distance around the earth. The
comet shines by its own and not by reflected
light, that IL, it is in a state Of incandescence
OF course, being identical with the come,
discovered In Brazil and Buenos Ayres over a
month ago, no claim of prior discovery of a
later date can receive consideration, but here
comes q Kentucky claimant who not only
leads all the rest IN the discovery IN point OF
time but immensely also IN point of mOdesty
We copy from the Louisville CourierJovrnai
Prot Klein, of Hartford, KY, claims that he
discovered the comet now attracting attention
last September. In letter to the publishers
he says: This socalled newly discovered
comet may be new to the world at large, but il
is not new to me, as have been gazing upon
this very comet ever since last September.
You will remember that told you in my let
tiers that it would be visible to the naked eye
IN June or July, 1881, and that i! would not
be visible again for seventy-nine years. Fur.
thermore, 1t is not the comet of 1919, but 1t Is
the comet Of 1888, which was supposed to be
the cause Of the terrific atmospherical disturb
ances of that year. / feel that know more
about this comet than other astronomers, rs
have nursed 1t, as 1t were, from its first appear
ance until the present. and know my comet
by sight just as father would know his chil
dren by seeing them. Prot. Swift and other
eminent scientists have written TO me In re
gard TO It from time to time ever since last
fall"
Aud the CourierJouTndl adds
The Couicr.Journd, Of Sept ), 1880, con
tanned an account Of the discovery of this com
ct by Prof Klein, IN which he at that time
said: 81 am OF the opinion that the earth
passed through the tail Of this comet, and tha
Its vapors SO permeated our atmosphere as tc
be the direct cause Of the recent unprecedented
: rainfall all over the country. believe II VA