Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-01-31
THE END OF THE II
The Astronomers interviewed
on the Subject.

An article has been going the rounds
Of the press announcing the startling
prediction that there was great dam
ger of the world coming to an end
some time this year. This prophecy
was a little more definite than the
famous one Of Mother Shipton, for it
detailed the manner in which the
earth's destruction was to be accom-
plished; hal is, by a comet. The
Washington Post has taken the
trouble to interview the government
astronomers on the subject, and has
obtained some interesting information
as to the astronomical outlook for the
year. The Post says.
Professor Hull, though able to dis.
cover Mars satellites, has not yet
found the comet which is to play such
an important part in the destruction
of the world. ut is the first time |
have been made aware of the impend-
ing danger" he said.
Can there be any foundation for
such a pTediction?"
"0Aly in this: that | have seen
somewhere a statement that the
comet of 1872 was to return about
this time. But we know nothing GER
tain. Indeed, it is impossible to
know anything positive about comets.
We can only observe such a very
small portion of their immense orbits
that we cannot estimate their return
with exact precision. But the likeli-
hood of its falling into the sun or
striking the earth, even if it did re-
turn, is in6nitesimal."
DO you think that the earth will
ever be struck by a comet?"
There is just about one chance in
millions and millions that such a
thing will come to pass"
And lift did?"
I'm my opinion, no one need fear
the consequences in the least. But
these matters have always had a
strong hold on the public. |
remember as far back as 1913 that a
great comet was seen in the heavens.
By coincidence, the Millerits about
the same time predicted the end of the
world. The appearance of the comet
made a great many converts to that
faith"
Professor Eastman said: 81 do not
think hat this prediction of the end of
the world arose from that source. 1t
is true some French astronomers who
have been studying Enckes' comet,
which was supposed to have a period
Of $4,000 years, have announced that it
might appear some time within this
century. But my idea is, that this ar
ticle, lift did not originate altogether
in some imaginative brain, was based
on a statement regarding Swift's com.
ct. 1t was said that it vas moving di-
rectly towards the earth. These
comets have been discovered lately,
one Of which was Swift's. 1t was an.
nounced from the first that.two of the
comets we're moving in a orbit which
would never come near the earth.
But Swift stated that he could detect
no motion in his comet, and he rea-
soned, therefore, that it was moving
directly towards the earth. Had his
observations been correct his conclu-
siOns would have been Unsuitable.
When, however, we looked at 1t
through our glass we detected a very
rapid motion visible, even without the
aid Of the measurements ordinarily
made. Professor Frisby, who has
been making a study Of the orbit Of.
Swift's comet, finds that it has a period
Of about FIVE and a half years. As
there is no danger Of it striking the
earth or f ling into the sea, if there is
any other comet coming l do not
know il. ~"