New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-06-26

I SIX. I eUrCFFNrd ON rIlT nIgTT. JUnc ,, I7
/ photOgraphing the great comet in Aurga. This is
/ the INST time a comet has been photographed
Henry DRAPER
Observatory, lIastingS-On- Hudson.
Nar York. June -. 1891.
Professor Draper passed yesterday afternoon and
evening AZ his observatory returning 70 his house at
Dobbs Ferry for only short time at his dinner
hour. There hc vas found by TRIBUNE reporter,
to whom he said that he had already senta telegram
to The Londos Times. well as THE TRIBUNE. An
nouncing his success To obtain such photograph
he would like. he said. the plate ought to be cx
posed FOR at least hour but he had succeeded in
getting an exposure of only seventeen minutes. The
result however was satisfactory in 80 far that il
demonstrated the possibilities OF photoTaphng a
comet.
WAS the Photograph complctei'
1T showed the nucleus and coma, and part Of
the tail shall try tonight il the sky is fair to
obtain longer exposure. wish to take larger
photograph. il possible, - aS to examine more care
fully the structure Of tlc tail. But the larger tho
photograph the more difficult it is 10 obtain, owing
10 the diffusion Of the light The adjustment Of the
mechanism is a matter Of the greatest dccacy
Thr cookwork which ordinarily moves Il telescope
is adapted to counteract the effect Of the earth's
-utation. ~ to keep star constantly within the
.i'li of vision; but this comet has rapid n motion
IN dccinaion that spe,ill mechanism is required.
Even during the seventeen minutes Of exposure that
obtained this morning the norhward movement
va" clearly pcrceptible.
II am successful in obtaining two good photo
graphs. | shall nest turn my attention 10 ts
spectrum. which l. much more difficult 10 photo
graph than the orb ITSELF tn" reason why the
spectrum of a comet is Interesting is that no
trace Of carbon hls ever yet been discovered
ia any body outside the earth. except in
,niuo mctcoric stonca. which arr supposed 10
lr. of kindred nature with tic substance of coucs.
Now hn FAR ~ Sr know. carbon necessary ele
nrnt ui ail organic matter. Should the spectre
scope therefore. reveal the presence of carbon IN
Oh" comet. one argument against the existence OF
organic Iir ln ihrI worlds than ours would hr de-
-iroted and the possibility of such iife partially
demonstrated"
IA" Oh" British astronomers trying tophotosraph
thi' comet =
That do NOT know. hu. the atmosphere Of Eng.
land De- 49, likely tu Doe iuegy thar succ,S>lul uh,rr-
Nttpu- from British oi'-rr,at"r,,V can n"y"r be
counted upon. The appcIranr"oi Of this luWiuaty h1S
been sud"u that no expeditions could oi cuul~"
h' ~,i ont auD md. 'd thc hr~t comets for obc'-
taroa ai. almost aI" iiA th" uurXpc'i"l once lhr
comets of .'I0rt % mods. the urh's %! which have
heou calculated. al' generally small. Inl, D. prob
a.It OWING 90 th" rau"l~ ia'i tIAt comet
Iu passing lg tlf .uu tllr.. aIH3.s lo~S part of
if- u-ftu. tut .- f'I- ErI. Ia.y wasted away.
Tur rt-,H iprt- - NOT iu,l,r-food as there J, not
thougnt 90 Boz, nnt atmosphere about tl' sun Of dom
>ltf -. ..lrt fp Lr'rI ans - thr sph,t 1ucr. Al
other Nrrt .f.Yu- fi.t I- tlat after hr concf hts
p4>-.'l- pcrAriIou tAc tau always socs beioIr the
"W.at .- the hte-t theory of thr origin Of
"Ii.tI,uot to-4v. They m1y be- similar t.
Oh. frhulI. Witch are probably nar~"~ oi the
orcull vtpor mof'. l'.- ~ pmo rat j. The theory
tllt comet, base brDn thrown o1 FROM 3D." hNcd
-'li comfy HI|d speculation. IL l. t'"u-ht thai
l.toilt,- Irr uc I.muIu -,l dI-iGtcGrlir! COM. .ie
What h1y, you nnu,'I regarding thr notion.
~ have not had much time for that. The comet
r,..iing lrun thr ~gu ani thrr.lor' coming ON