The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1881-07-12

The new comet is engrossing the attention of
the astronomers and those who are fond of star
gazing. A great many persons in Charleston,
says the Nescs and Courier, sat up for the purpose
OF seeing the wanderer on Friday night and
were amply rewarded by a good view OF it.
The place of the comet csn be easily found 1t
is few degrees southeast OF the bright star OF
the first magnitude in constellation Auriga. Ca
pella rises far in the northeast at about half past
O'Clock in the morning. No one can mistake
the star as there is no other bright star near it
From 9 O'Clock until daybreak the comet should
be easily seen without telescopes
The astronomers are not agreed whether the
comet is one that has visited our system before
or a new conner on this sisoal Of the universe,
bat they all say teat 1t gives promise Of becom-
ing remarkably large and briliAnL Several OBJ
servers hy CHAIN 70 the honor of discovery,
among which are Mr.. L. T. Edwards, of Haver-
ford College, Pa, and Mr.. Edgar L. Larkn, of
New Windsor. Ill. Intelligence has also been
received that still another comet has just been
discovered by Dr. Gould, Director of the Cordo-
va Observatory, Argentine Republic. South
America This comet seems to be the great
comet of 1907, and is located in the Constellation
of the Doye, Right Ascension hours and Decli-
nation South 80 degrees. 1t is not visible in this
latitude and not known yet that it will Ike,
although it is likely to be as the comet OF 1907
was distinctly seen.
The astronomers have long been wishing for
chance to get At first-rate comet, for many
interesting questions have arisen since they had
the great comet of 1858, and its brilliant success
sor Of 1851, 10 the field of their telescopes.
The astrologers and Mother Shiptonites will
also be busy. Comets have in all ages been
the most efficient allies of those who make money
and influence by catering to the superstitious.
The world has more than once been terrorized
by a comet, and even New ton contributed to the
distrust with which the comet OF 1880 was re-
gArded. He calculated that the comet was head
ed almost straight at the sun, and it was believed
then, and it Is now, that if comet should plunge
into the sun il would heat that luminary up to
such degree Is 10 destroy the earth Newton
was not wrong In his figures, for the comet did
pass very near the sun. The comet OF 1S43,
however, went yet closer. In fact, it is said to
have grazed the suns surface. and some astron-
oners have assumed this to be the cause Of Ger
tain great solar disturbances that were subse-
qaently witnessed and that made themselves
felt in the electrical condition Of the earth. The
discovery that vast trains OF meteors follow in
the tracks OF comets renders it all the likely
that the fall Of q comet upon the sun would be
disastrous to the earth
But the astronomers reassuringiy assert that
the chance Of comet plunging into the sun is
very slight They have all space to wander in.
and although they are drawn toward the sun
when they fall within the scope of his attraction,
the resulting orbit is such that they swing
around him on a curve, and are then flung out
into space again. There is something exceed
ingly impressive in the thought that great comets
probably wander from sun TO sun, travellers
through the universe. Now one visits US, and
some millions Of years hence il may glow in the
morning and evening skies Of the worlds that
circle about Sirius or Aldebaran.
Professor Klein, OF Hartford, Kentucky.
claims that he discovered the comet now at
tracing attention, IN September last He says
this is the comet Of 1888. Observations made
on the 10th inst show that the o6shoot Of the
tail is rapidly absorbing the main portion OF the
comet This snpeEnumesary paSt il extended
up to the North Star the comet is receding from
the sun and probably from the earth, and viii
be seen toE . time yet. II undoubtedly grows
DINNER. Claimants Sor the Warner pdzz, two
hundred dollars. are pouring in By hundreds
from all parts Of America A Connecticut man
claima 70 hare found Il on the 10Th.