The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1881-10-14
THE GREAT COMET OF 1881.
Unknown Heretofore, II Will Not Return for
Thousands OF Years, II Ever.

Exchange.
The great comet (Comet b, 1881 being
now, except In telescopes, thing of the
past, II may be well to gather together the
results obtained by different scientific men
from their studies of it. The comet was
seen by the naked eye In South America and
Australia at least month before 1t was OBJ
served here. 1t was then . much fainter
object than when Ii had arrived ut Its per-
ihelion, which was about coinciden. with
the date of It's northern discovery. Good
observatories exist at Rio Janeiro, Cordoba,
in South America, and at Melbourne and
Sidney, Australia. The observations Of 1t
taken in these places, in Its incipent stage,
while not revealing anything new as regards
Its constitution or structure, have been valu-
able In deducing the form of Its srbit and Its
identity with other comets. The northern
observations have been more varied and pro-
ductive.
The first Of these was for the purpose Of
gaining data for . computation OF Its orbit.
The result shows that II 1t ever returns 1t
will only be after the lapse of thousands Of
years. They also show that If 1t has ever
| been here before there is no record Of 1t so
| well authenticated as to identify the two
objects. Our comet may be q fractional
part of still greater comet, which long ago
| was forced by some internal convulsion to
shin for itself, and which has since followed
the wake of its parent through space.
The second class of observations were
those going into the details of its physical
appearance. They have shown that violent
forces have been continually acting within,
and render the disruption theory probable.
Great streams of luminous gas would issue
from the nucleus. Envelopes would form
themselves around II and be dissipated. The
masses of haze surrounding II would show
ever-changing shapes, and all appearan ces
would indicate strong forces operating with
| i'm its mass, which forces we're stirred into
life by approach to the sun, and diminished
by recession.
The spectroscopic observations have 81 zen,
| In the words of VIM. Huggins, the great En-
glish authority In this line Of work, the fol-
lowing results: Part Of the light from
comets is reflected solar light, and another
/ part Is light Of their own. The spectrum OF
this light shows the presence in the comet of
carbon, possibly in combination with hydro
gen." The nucleus Is probably solid, and
reflects solar light, just as the moon does,
while the streamers, the envelops and the
tails are masses of carbon or hydro-carbon
gases, emitting light of their own.
Besides the proof Of the fact that comets
can be photographed, the results obtained
by the camera in photographing the comet
itself are not very valuable. But the photo
graphs OF the spectrum are Of the highest
utility, affording the means of leisureiy and
certainly determining the position Of the
bright lines and the character of the sub.
stances which produce them, and enabling
spectroscopists to compare with enc anothei
their charts.
Such is brief summary of results OBJ.
tanned from this productive comet. Never
was one more carefully observed or by bet
ter observers or instruments. Nothing new
As to comets In general has been obtained
but old theories have been established and
mass of observations taken which some da,
will much assist In settling the still enig
matical question as to what the origin, ma
ture and purpose of comets are.