Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-04-05
THE COMET.
The Celestial Stranger Now Being OBJ
served by Scientists-What an AstrOn-
Onacr Has to Say About 1.-THE Comet
Expected % be Visible Next M Onth.

new comet has made its appearance in the
heavens. The astronomers had no knowledge
of its coming until it had arrived. and the entire
proceeding Is irregular in the extreme. But ,
comet is nothing if it is not irregular 1t is the
Byron of the heavens 1t won't conform to the
| established customs of society. 1t departs a:
rapidly as it comes, and in consequence very
little is known of the graceless interloper. The
present comet, however, is being observed BY
the astronomers with the view of ascertaining
its probable size and orbit. A STAR reporter
happening to meet Prof Rock, Of the Naval OBJ
servatory, asked him what he knew about the
comet.
Every little" responded the professor, IA
yet. 1t is an unexpected comet and q new
| conner, or, perhaps it may be the return of an
old comet. 1t can only be observed now by
the telescope, and sufficient data has not been
obtained to predict as tOits size and character.
''Will it be visible to the naked eyer" asked
the reporter for the benefit OF the young people
who are about to resume their Astronomical
studies on the front doorstep.
THAT depends on its size. AS it nears thu
sun it will become visible that is to say, when
it gets as near to the sun as the earth is to the
sun. But tile majority of comets make but little
show on account of their small size. You see
when comet contains great deal of matter il
becomes very striking object in the heavens
for as it nears the sun the heat vapOrizes thu
substance, which spreads out towards the sun in
luminous forms. called the envelopes. These
by the repulsiOn of the sun, stream away from
the solar luminary for untold distances, forming
the tail"
"Will this comet be large one?" asked the
reporter:
at is impossible to tell you, as it is too far of
1t is gradually approaching"
comet 2"
'Its principal interest to the public" replied
the astronomer, twill be if it is large enough
to be visible to the naked eye. The amateur
astronomers will also have the fun Offnding it in
the heavens"
'Of what interest is it to astronomers? "pur
sued the reporter.
lone point of interest is the study of the or
bits of comets in relation to the streams of me.
teOTs that circle about the sun. The greatinter.
est however centers in the opportunity which il
will afford OF studying its constitution by means
of the spectroscope Comets afford the best
means for such study, as they come within 9
distance of the earth even less than that of the
SUM- Ii the nature of comets Is determined il
will be great step towards determining the
constitution of oil bodies. The information in
this regard Is very meagre on account Of there
having been no good meteors since the spectre,
scope was invented"
"Do the astronomers expect much for this
cOmet?" asked the reporter.
mo. There Is no indication what it is as
SIS there any hard or solid substance in com
ets2"
''That is an open question az yet" said the
astronomer. Zone theory is that comet Ii
composed Of incandescent vapor, while another
theory maintains that 1t is made up Of finely-di.
vided solid matter-like a whirlwind of sand
you might say-except that the fragments are
not. of course, of uniform size. 1t is probable
that comet is composed of both vapOr and
matter, and as it nears the sun it is vaporized.'
"Where does this matter come frOm?'
81 don't know" said the scientist. 'You
might as well ask where the matter that com.
prises the earth comes from. If we knew one
we would know the other"
sis there much known about comets?'
IL think there is less known about comets
than anything else in astronomy"
The professor did not seem to think that the
new visitor was of thrilling interest. and said
that he had not paid very much attention to the
matter From another source it was ascertained
that the comet would not be visible before next