Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1881-07-02
TALES OF THE COMET.
A Large Number Of Interesting Facts
Regarding u Very Interesting Subject
The Big DComets Of Historv-Their Age
Give Etc Ectc.

space known to school children, who
have reached the elements of astronomy.
which may be of interest to the general
reader, who has long since forgotten the |
teachings of his school boy days. The
Daily News presents those interesting |
facts as follows:
Comets are observed only in those |
parts OF their obits which are nearest the |
sun. They are not confined like the
larger planets to the zodiac, but appear
in every quarter of the heavens, and
move u every possible direction.
They usually continue visible few
weeks or months. and very rarely so long
as q year, Their appearance is nebulous
whence it is inferred that they consist of
masses of vapor, though in highly
attenuated state, since very small stars
are seen through them.
The more conspicuous comets are
accompanied by tail, or train of light
which sometimes stretches over an arc
of the heavens Of fifty degrees or upward,
but more frequently is of much less
extent.
| The same comet may assume very diff
ferent appearances during it's visibility
according to its position to the earth and
sun.
When first perceptible, comet re-
sembles little spot of faint light upon
the dark ground of the sky; as it ap-
proaches the sun its brightness increases
and the tail begins to show itself.
Generally the comet is brightest when
it arrives at its perihelion, and gradually
fades away as it recedes from the sun,
until it cannot be seen with the best
telescopes we possess.
Some few have become 80 intensely
brilliant as to be seen in full daylight.
A remarkable case of this kind occurred
in 1843, when q comet was discovered
within few degrees of the sun himself;
and there are one or two similar cases
on record.
The brighter or more condensed part
of the comet, or the part from which the
tail proceeds, and the nebulous matter
which surrounds the nucleus, is termed
the coma. frequently the nucleus and
coma are included under the general term
head. Some comets have no nuclei, their
light being nearly uniform.
The tail of comet is merely the pro-
longation of the nebulous envelope sur
rounding tho nucleus and it almost al
ways extends in direction opposite to
that of the sun at the time. In some
cases it is long and straight, in others it
is curved at the extremity or divided in
to two or more branches. A few comets
, have exhibited two distinct tails.
| The length of the tails have some.
times exceeded 1OO,OOO.OOO or 100000 900
of miles. and that of the great comet of
l843 is said to have been 2OO,OO0,OOO of
miles long.
Comparatively few of the many COM
cts that visit our system are visible to
kEa of ;,,k
filmy masses without tails, which can
only be sees with the telescope.
DIR. HALEY was the first astronomer to
ascertain with precision the periods
which certain comets require to perform
3 their revolutions around the sun. Many
!, astronomers since his time, however,
9 have been able to predict the times Of
I their reappearance and to mark their
paths around the stars.
DR.. HALEY discovered the comet. of
1856 to be the same that appeared in
? 1456, 1881. 1907, and hence concluded
that it's revolution through space must
be accomplished in about 75 years. He
foretold its temperance in 1853, which
actually took place after retardation Of
between one and two years. The same
body appeared again in 1885, and may
be looked for again in 1911. The comet
! is traced in history as far as IL B. G.
A comet called Enck's has period OF
q three and half years; another, Biela's
= of six and three.quarter years; and sew
. eral others perform their revolution in
from five to eight years.
} ones above mant;oned Which comnlate
their Journey around the sun in from
. sixty to eighty years, but it .is certain
. that by far the greater number require
hundreds and even thousands of years
:, When this is the case it becomes almost
a impossible to assign their exact periods
!. Remarkable comets appeared in 1860
n both of which approached so near the sui
a as to almost Craze it's surface.
The comet OF 1911 has acquired grea
celebrity. 1t remained visible to the ma
ked eye several months, shining with tn
luster OF the brighter stars, and ATTENDED
by beautiful fan shaped t,il. This bod
n is supposed to require upwards OF 3,OO
k years to complete its excursion throug
is space.
8. The splendid comet OF 1858, general
It known as DonatIs. will long be remem
y bered for the remarkable physical ap
e pearances it presented IN the telescope
1t as we'll as its imposing aspect to the na
er ked eye. 1t is presumed to have revc
10 luton OF 2,lOO years.
r, Hardly less famous will be the gran
~ !. comet which appeared in 1871. IN
:. comet had tail !OO degrees IN lengt!
~, :. Its period OF revolution would appear !
'e 'e bo much shorter than Donatis, probaDl
10 not exceeding 45O years.