Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1881-06-29
a Comet-Comets.

About the Isl OF June d South American
astronomer discovered a comet of large .ise.
For some reason or other the fact was not
made pubic It'll last week, when people in
North America began to see the comet
with the naked eye. Newspapers that were
printed on last Thursday and Friday spoke
Of it as having been seen by people of their
respective localities. In this Community
the comet was first seen BY Colonel William
Eel on Thursday morning, June 2S, at 2,
ocipck, IN northeasterly direction. The
management of the Warner Astronomical
Observatory of Rochester, n. Y, had Of
fered $500 prize for the discovery of
new comet. L. 7. Edwards, of Haverford
College, Penna., and Edgar L. Larkins, of
New Windsor, ILL.,, dispatched to Rochester
prize. They discovered it on the same
morning that Colonel Bell made the discov-
cry. The Colonel should put in the claim
for the prize. On Friday evening, from
eight to between nine and ten O'Clock,
il was seen by number of people Of
this town and vicinity. By the AID OF
newspapers, telegraphs and railroads the
whole civilized world that can read will be
reading about comets within the next ten
days, and everybody will be looking sky
ward, and talking about the celestial visitor.
Already astronomers are sending their views
over the telegraph wires as to what comet
the unexpected visitor is. There is divi-
sion of opinion as to whether the comet is
coming, or going. Some say that it is
The COMET OF 1907.
The comet of 1907 was first noticed BY Her
scbel in October of the year mentioned.
He estimated the diameter Of its head or
nucleus to be about $500 miles in diameter,
and its rate Of speed IS, 557 miles per hour
There is doubt thrown about the present
comet being the comet of 1907 from the
statement of the comet OF that period, that
It's train or tail was divided; the train or
tail of the present one is a single one. The
records tell cf
A CoxET IN 1911,
that was visible to the naked eye for a Pc
riod of more than three months, the head
of which was estimated al so 600 mites
in dismeter, or more than six times the di-
smcIer of the earth, and when plainest TO
be seen-about the middle of Cctooer--the
length of Its train was IOO, ,00U, 600 miles
long. The breadth of the tail was i5,000,-
n 81
was lis 200 ,eOe miles. Astronomers of
that day counted or its return about three
thousand years in the future. There is
record of
OTHER COMETS,
that have from time to time, Of recent date,
that is, within the memory of living men,
appeared notably the comet of 1855, a
still later comet. that of ls43, which ex-
cited the Adventists or Millerites to prepare
their ascension robes, and the comet OF
1858, were celestial messengers that i'm
pregnated the minds Of many Of the pres
ent generation with the
OLD SUPERSTITION
tha; has come down through past ages, that
the comet is the foreteller of some great
outbreak anoug the human inhabitants Of
the earth. or to presage direful calamity to
she people. Many people of this day and
generation firmly believe them TO be warn
.ug stars-stars indicating wars, famines or
pestilence and in this country they point
20 the comets of 1907 and ISL as pointing
out the war with Great Britain in lol2.
The comet of 1885 and that of lsi3 are
looked upon by the superstirious as the
forerunner of the Mexican war, and the
glorious display of comet in 1858 in the
northern heavens is considered to have been
the harbinger of the civil war of JEFF Davis.
Some men have expressed the belief that
comets are the places of punishment for the
wicked; their path is . long oblong, on which |!
the wicked when near the sun viii roast,
and when far from the sun they viii freeze.
However much the astronomer, and well
read people may discard the popular
superstition on comets, there is no good I.
reason to point Jest al those that believe
differently, for when all IS summed up, and
the size of the comets are counted, Their
distance from the earth and other things |
having been measured by calculation, the |
truth remains that there is no means OF
knowing TO what degree the human mind.s
affected, or TO what degree the atmosphere
of the earth Is disturbed, SO as 10 produce
turbulence among men, and disease and |
pestilence in the human family. Don't
laugh st tne superstitioGs. And yet one
cannot refrain from q feeling of humor !
when be learns how snperstitious minds are
affected. Superstition is not confined en-
tirely to unlettered circles. The American
nation have distinct recollection OF the
saving or answer of Abraham Lincoln when |
he was pressed TO issue the Emancipation
proclamation. He said, L" 1t viii do about
as much good as the Pope's bull OF ex-
communication against the comet" He had
reference to the superstitious act OF Pope |
Calixtus. A splendid come. appeared in
1856, about the time the Turks or Moham-
medans were most rapidly subduing the
Christians. The Pope became alarmed
he looked upon the comet as sign and in
s,rument of Divine wrath. He ordered
public prayers in every town where bis Ju-
risdiction extended; bells were rung at
noon every day to assemble the people to
.nplors the mercy of heaven, and at the
same time be issued proclamation to stop |
the comet and drive back the Mohammed- |
ana. and that 10 what Abraham Lincoln re-
ferreL to when he spoke Of the Pope's onii. I
A comet nearly as bright as the sun ap- |
pesred about the time Nero was playing |
havoc in the Roman world.
A Mosr RxMARKABLE CoHEI
.s ono that appears about once in every o'o |
years. The record mention il as appearing |