Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-06-24

WHAT WASHINGTON ASTRONOMERS SAY ABOUT
1T.
The Ely was SO overcast early this n orning
that all attempts to take observations OF The
new comet, whose presence IN our SKY was an.
nounced by THE STAR last evening. was futile.
IT, however, afforded many husbands good
excuse fcr staying out sIl night. They sat Q,
they said, to see the comet, you know. There
was sucA little promise early last night of q
clear sly that no special arrangements were
made at the Naval Observatory for observing
the stranger. Mr. Horrgsn, the watchmsn in
the dome, however, at a favorable moment
about three o'clock this morning-oot aimed q
glimrse OF tie stranger, through a rift in the
that the nucleus appears as liz as Mars, and
The tail about Is degrees long.
WHAT PROF. EASTMAN SAYS.
A STAR reporter called at the Naval Observa-
tory this morning, and, running across Prot.
Eastman. asked what official news. had been
received from the comet. ''An observation
said the Professor, "was taken by the watch
approximately its position and notion"
"Can TEE STAR obtain the result OF this oo.
servafiOn?"
"Certainly," replied the Professor, and, seat.
ing bimself at a desk. he began figuring On q
sbt ct OF paper. Probably we will be able to
see it tc-r,ght about 10 O'Clock, close down by
the horizon In the northwest" remarked the
Professor, paustDg In bis work.
WHY IT WAS NOT ssEN BEFORE.
'Is this the same comet announced to have
been discovered by Prof. Gould, In South Amer
lea. on the 1st 1nst?" inquired the reporter.
''That we cannot telI," answered the Profes.
sor, until We have had an opportunity 10 take
obseIvations. The reason that 1t had not been
discovered before is that It came up from the
south, and was too near the sun for Us to see
TIE SECOND ADv6NTIST5 AND MOTHER sHIPrON,
"This will give the second adventists fresh
grip" interrupted an irreverent young astrono.
meT, who was figuring at another desk.
Every soon,' continued Professor Eastman.
'ft VIII be visible all the time, neither rising or
settlrg. but revolving IN the northern heavens
TIL 1t goes off and disappears"
"Is 1t probable that this i5 the comet which
1t was said by sensationaiists was going 10
come to the aid CT Mother Sbtpton 2" asked THs
STAR reporter.
I've can't tell what the comet Is yet. In
two or three days we Will have better oppor-
near daybreak. There" said the professor,
risjUg 81 d handing the reporter sheet OF paper,
is tne bcst result yet obtained by u.s." The
paper, which showed the result OF Prot. ISL
Msh'S hg urlug, contained
THE FOLLOWING BULLsTIN:
New Comet-Approximate position, Frid ~
morning, at 3 O'Clock: Right ascension, 81.
SOM. declinaiiop, 400 8. Slight motion In riynt
aseeI sion. Moving north about 4o.5 per day.
In two or three days will probloly be visible
soon after sunset close to the horizon, little
west OF north"
WHAT ANOTHER ASTRONOMER SAID
1T Is probably the same comet discovered 1n
South America on the 1st OF June" said one OF
the assistant astronomers whom the reporter
however, has not yet been fixed. It sets just
about dark now In the northwest, and rises IN
the northeast about O'Clock"
TIE STAR man having mentioned that s1me
OMIT hnnA No.
observatory had not GOT the rrst notice OF the
comet, the astronomer observed: Comet hunt
ibg. like asteIoid hunting, is the poetry of
Prof. Swift, devote all their time to looking for
comets. We have too much work to do here
for that. II we had large enough force we
could set man on duty looking out for c,nels.
Many think 1T IS big thing 10 nnd comet.
and OF course discovery OF a comet IS very
important. Many claims have already been .t
up es to who discovered this comet L. appears
however, that 1t was discovered in Paris a.
O'Clock yesterday morning, By Paris time,
which would have been about 10 O'Clock We'd
LesCay night, according to our time; 50 th It
The Paris astronomer Was probably th5 frat In
tie field"
SOME AsTRoMICAL GOSSIP
There is considerable talk about to En as TO
who first saw the comet here yesterday m orn-
ing. 1t happened to appear In the heavens,
brilliant fan shaped light, rising from the ho-i
zon Ia the northesst-aDouG three O'CLOCK In
y.
SET 1t except night line hackmen belated trav-
eleTs. and policemen. There were twelve man
composing the jury in the case OF Catharin vs..
Davis, who were locked up all night at tue City
Hall. who were among the lucky few who saw
the cele stial stranger. Most OF them sat up all
night. being unable to sleep on the hard chairs
aid benches which the government provides as
a means OF torture TO force jurieS to agree.
These jurors beheld the comet when it rose
ard watched 1t until 1t vanished In the dawn
I'VE are TWO months ahead of astronomers"
said one OF them, as he read an announcement
in morning paper that comet would appear
In August
The London astronomers agree with ours that
before the 1st OF July 1t will be visible all night
The sudden appearance OF the comet seems 20
bave surprised all the astronomers One popa-
lar effect will be to give an impetus to the study
OF astronomy and to revive sensational gossip
about Mother Shipton'S prophecy.
Among the astronomers in this country who
claim the honor to have first seen it are l.. T..
EdW ards OF Haverford College. Pa E. L Lar
kin, OF New Windsor, ILL.,, and Prot. Hanks OF
san Francisco. IL Is claimed also that 1t was
seen at Bodie, Cal, at half past O'Clock yes
terdsy morning. the nucleus being well defined
aid the tall brilliant, and dispatch says that
1t was observed at Tombstone. Arizona at 4
q. m. yesterday with the nucleus apparently
half the size OF a full moon, and the tall fan
shaped and very brilliant.