Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1882-06-15
THE NEW COMET.
Some of Its Most Remarkable Pr Gu
liarities.

Some of Its Most Remarkable Pc Gu
larities.
Philadelphia Times.
Probably there were not many per-
sons timid enough to fear that the new
comet, which has been so frequently
said to be rapidly approaching the
earth, would really come uncomforta-
bly, close to it, but if there were any at
all it will undoubtedly be an agreeable
relief to their suspense to know that ii
has come just as near to this planet as
it ever will, and Is now whizzing along
through space toward the sun-has
actually passed the earth, and is reced-
ing at the rate of nearly a million miles
day in direction north by north
east So says Prof Sharpless, of Hav.
erford college, who has been observ.
ing the newcomer with particular in
terest. He says it reached its nearest
point to the earth yesterday-about
SS,O00,0O0 of miles. When first dis.
covered by Prof. Wells, of the Albany
university, on March 20, it was l50,-
OO0,O0O miles distant from the earth
Its orbit carries it much closer to the
sun than to the earth. Or June 10 it
will have arrived at its nearest position
to the sun, calculated to be about
100000 miles.
1t is visible now to the naked eye
being in the constellation Cassiopeia,
and at midnight is about midway from
the horizon to Polaris. 1t will remain
visible to the eye for about two weeks
longer, from shortly after midnight
until the break of day. As seen
through the telescope it has nucleus
equal in brightness to star of the
seventh magnitude. 1t is of unusual
size, Prof. Sharpless says; how large
he has not estimated, but it whisks a
tail not less than half a million miles
long.
Prof. Sharpless says the comet is re.
maTkable, first for its exceptional size,
and secondly because it will approach
nearer to the sun than the majority of
comets have done. 1t is now on its
way down to the southern hemisphere,
from which it will be best seen, es-
pecialy from South America. When
seen there it will be in its greatest
brilliancy, which naturally increases as
it nf RS the sun. Unfortunately, the
conditions were not so favorable for
OBJ; rving this comet as they were for
the one of last summer. The profes-
sor says astronomers have agreed upon
the fact that this is an entirely new
comet and not the comet of 1872,
which is announced to appear this
year. That may appear later.
The orbit of this one differs in too
many respects for it to be accepted as
that comet. Professor Sharpless smil-
ingly added that it is safe to say that
the comet should not be blamed for
either the irregularity in the weather,
of which people have been the victims,
nor the oppressive heat. Though in
former ages comets were regarded as
responsible things and were accepted
as signs sent directly by the Deity to
announce the coming of wars or fatal
disease, tie degree of terror which
they excited was proportioned to the
size of the comet or the form and
length of its train. Biela's comet in
1882 created among the less informed
classes great alarm lest it might collide
with the earth, because the astrono.
mers announced that on particular
day part of the earth's orbit would
be included in the nebulosity of the
comet. The statement was misunder.
stood by the general public, who
thought general smash-up was immi'
nent.
The principal comets which have
passed closer to the sun than this one
will are those of 1868, 1850, 1913, and
1880. They are said to have actually
grazed the solar atmosphere or passed
through its outeTmost portions. The
misapprehension of an article by Prof
Proctor on three OF these comets gave
rise to the now oft'repeated prediction
that the unfortunate inhabitants OF
the earth will be consumed in 1897
The distinguished astronomer argued
that inasmuch as the orbit of the
comet of 1843 was almost identical
with that of 1868, and that the latter's
reappearance was due about lS43, they
must be one and the same, and when
the comet of 1880 was seen in the
southern hemisl here it corresponded
even more closely with the comet OF
: 1868 than the other did. Thereupor
the theory was formed out of the ad
mitted fact that the passage of the
planet through the resisting medium
of the atmosphere lessened its distance
and hence accelerated its velocity; thai
, after thirty-seven years lin 1897 tn,
time of revolution would be so mucf
: lessened at each successive return tha
i ultimately the comet would plunge
! into the sun. Striking the solar sur
face with a velocity of $50 miles 1
s second, the amount of heat produced
by the concussion and radiated to tn,
5 earth might raise the temperature t.
5 such a degree as to destroy life upol
9 this planet. The article spoken of wa
: merely a scientific conjecture incau