Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-06-27
COMET CHAT.
Observation Settles it that there Is out
One Comet Visible Here.

There has been some confusion rs eAaSei1
when and where to lock for the comet II
order to obtain the best view OF II, and state
ments have been made that it was not neces
sarv 70 keep late hours in order to wit
ness the celestial phenomenon, as the
flaming torch of the skies could be
seen at 8 P. NJ. as well as A. M.
The facts are that the comet, the trst an
pouncement concerning which was made in
the EcoRp-UNIoN. was seen by gentlemen
connected with this Office in the northeast
about an hour and half before sunrise last
! Wednesday morning. II was then q very
small affair. 1t rapidly grew In apparent
size, ard increased in apparent briiliancy,
and appeared still more IN advance OF the
sun, until where low horizon could be
! early as 1:30 A. NJ. 1t continues growing
brighter and to advance up the arc
of the sky, a pioneer to the sun.
until the light Of the latter biots
its glory out. Opinions differ as to whether
| the comet seen earlier in the nighs is the
| same or not, but the view is dissimilar. Inc
comet seen at $50 P. NJ. has an apparently
straighter tail and its nucleus Is less bright,
though it is apparently nightly growing
| brighter Ia addition, the view from a. NJ.
! till daylight is enc OF magnIiieence tnls
generation will probably never again witness
| for besides the blaze of the flaming torch, as
morning draws on, the great planets
appear almost in line and burn with
a respondent glory which Is indie
| scribable and is not dlmmed by the
strange visitor to the north OF them. WITH
an ordinary marine glass the outlines OF the
crcling worlds can be made so distinct
that they hang apparently like great
molten metal spheres glowing In the
armament, and by their majesty awe
the beholder of nights awful giorles.
! No one has spoken with certainty as yet as to
whether the comet of the yirtuous hus-
bands, the o'clock boys, or the merry comet
of the courageous few, who brave the night
air. late hours aud shrewish lectures for this
occasion, are one and the same. Scientists
seem to be puzzled, and when they disagree
| or hesitate, ordinary mortais must be silent.
! Dispa sches from various points IN the
| Uni ed States aver that there are two comets.
! AZ San Francisco the wiseacres are all as sea
about the matter, and greatly bothered by
| the fog also, which interferes with their CO.
servations sadly.
! On the Goth instant G. s. Whittemore,
Secretary OF the Rochester Astronomical
Society, Warner Observatory, mailed note
to this office saying:
| The following telegram has been received by the
editor OF the AstyOnOniSehe Ndchriehten, at kiel
Germany and we herewith transmit it to you !:
g Buenosaires June LIST, Eighteen hundred koen
comet fl hours south thirty degrees Gould The
massage has apparently, been somewhat mutiiated
in transmission, but it seems probable that DIR.
Gould Director OF the Cordova Observatory, Buenos
Ayres has discovered the return OF the great comet
of 1907 and that it is located in the constellation
of the dove right ascension hours and defamation
south 30 degrees. 1t is not visible from this lat
tude and not known yet that it will be, although it
is likely to be, the comet OF 1907 was distinctly
seem No apprehension need be had over the I'M
usual appearance Of comets the present year, as
they do not possess the power to work injury upon
the earth or any other planet.
Astronomical data and fact are not ascertain
able here to determine whether the comet
first seen here is that above referred to
or not, but as the constellation COLUMBIA
Noachi referred to is in the southern celestial
hemisphere it would appear to be different
one. Professor Davidson of San Francisco
says the Examiner, Is of the opinion that the
evening and morning comets are the same
and to Chronicle reporter Professor Hanks
expressed like opinion. He states that
when first seen, about sunset, its tail was
pointed towards the sun, and that as the hour
OF midnight drew near its tail assumed a YER
teal position. A similar apparent change
in the handle of the dipper takes place on
account of the rotation Of the earth, and
reasoning on this basis Professor Hanks
contends that there is but one comet visible,
but that seen a. different times 1t assumes a
different appearance.
Observations made last evening showed
these facts. AT s P. N. faint hazy line high
in the northwest was seen. BY 9:l5 it deveE
opsd bright spot at the lower end, that by
$50 was well defined nucleus. Above.
stretching straight out, broadening very
gradually and pointing easterly at an angle
Of 40 degrees from the line OF the horizon,
was the tail, which was very thin and light
apparently, exceptimmediately at the nucleus.
At &: 80 The comet was nearly as bright and
large rs when seen at 3 A. NJ heretofore. At
1880 it begun to fade, aud had declined fully
ops-third the distance from the point at
which it was first seen. At 11:30 it was less
clearly visible, and the tail was nearly vertical.
At 1880 a. N. this morning the comet had
Frightened up, and its former apparent
fading was attributed to atmospheric
changes. Is vas cow due Horth. its tel, no
longer vertical, inclined westerly its nucleus
bright, and slightly hAttened on. the lover
edge The tail appeared less dense. and
broadened more along its upper half and
reached up full u degrees In extent. Its
sinking toward the horizon had not greatly
progressed. Friday night at this honr the
comet was not visible, and Saturday night st
| the same time the upper half Of its tail only
was to be seen. IL seemed now that what
observers have been unable to definitely and
positively settle is to be made clear to tbs
! non-profess ionsl eye that there is but one
comet visible, and that the change in the
apparent pitch Of its tail is due only to the
change Of the visual angle caused by the To-
tation OF tina earth, matter every school
boy in a grammar grade understands.
/ At 100 A. ". the mysterious visitor was
considerably east Of north. and the tail in
clined westerly at sharp angle. IL now APP
peared to be ascending IS it approached the
northeast. If the morning comet is dis
tinct traveller in the trackless heavens, lndi-
cations of his rising should now be manifest
but there are none. 1t is clear that there Is
| Visible here but the one comet. IL is now
seen at early evening in the northwest lbut
could not be seen the middle Of last week !
It's apparent motion is easterly and toward
| the horizon, but when due north it ceases to
sink, aud its tail, at first swinging to the east,
| becomes vertical. and then, as the northeast
| il approached, it bears directly in an opposite
direction from its first position. As il
advances up the northeast to avail;
the coming sun and pilot it on to day,
it CLOVIS vi. renewed beauty, it's tail ex-
/ pands and stretches over nearly fifteen de-
kTect, anu tHHs ~ Dhtso until lth ltSHb =
quenched by the oncomipg brightness OF old
Sol. Thus il is clear that it does not sink
below our horizon, but, for a few days al
least, swings to sight, from this point Of view,
in a small circle near the pole of the northern
celestial hemisphere.
Observations at 2 and 2.l5 4 NJ. justified
the conclusions already giyen-there is buI
one comet, and his nameless name is written
alike on the morning and the evening heavens
and could the eye fathom the blue abyss al
noon, the strange visitor would be found still
in advance Of the sun, high in the west by
north, and It's tail pointing steadily towart
the north star.
A compilation Of cometic information thu
reads: This is remarkable year TO
comets. Two were seen in May two ar
now visible, and one is looked for TO arrive oil
November 9Th. This is Eeckes mysteriou
comet. that it was feared the comet in tn
northeastern skies might prove to be. TIL
monster Of 1872 viii get along by the latte
part of November, and comet VII. OF lSl
is down for June. Neither of those IN sigh
ara the above. The present time is consld
cred by astronomers specially tortultous, 10
the reason that each viii bear photograph
and spectrum analysis. The analysis will n
doubt determine the elements OF coneti
matter. So far the work has OF necessit
] been confined to small telescope comets
, Examinations Of these have ind
/ Gated that the tails of comets ar
made up Of solid matter, like seroltes .
, ineteorites. of all sizes. The tail gives tn