The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1882-05-05
Comet "a" 1881.
Scientific American, april 10.

scientyHc american, dpTH To-
The first Comet Of the present year has
been discovered. Mr.. g. 5. Wells, All assist
ant at the Dudley Observatory, Albany, was
the fortunate finder, and there Is a fair pros.
pect that the celestial visitor will prove .
brilliant member Of the comettc family. The
come. was picked up on the 18Th Of March,
In the constellation Hercules. 1t had then
tail five minutes long, and bright nucleus,
shining like star of the eighth mag nitude.
The tidings Of the discovery quickly made
its way over the civilized world, and the
new conner has been closely watched by prac.
ticed observers through the best telescopes,
whenever the sky has been clear enough to
permit glimpse of Its pfrsence. II be-
haves much like other members Of the same
family under the same conditions, increasing
In brightness, spreading out its gosssnier
train, and speeding swiftly on q course that
every day brings IL nearer To terrestrial terri
tory. In the short time that has elapsed
since its first appearance, 1t has travelled many
million miles through the blue depths OF
space, nearly doubled its light, and mere
than doubled Its tail.
Comet Is remarkable for its small peri
helion distance. According TO Mr. Chandler
IL will come within . hundred thousand
miles Of the sun, passing through the corona
and perhaps grazing the Photosphere. MI.
Boss estimate the distance at ten million
miles, but both observers agree In prophecy
ing very near approach. Few instances
are recorded Of comets coming SO near the
sun. Those Of 1880, lS43, and 1880 had
nearly the same perihelion distance, but
these dates are considered by many astrono-
mers as marking repeated returns Of the
same comet.
The new comet makes its perihelion pas I.
sage about the middle Of June, and . mag
nlfcent display may be anticipated about
tha, time. 1t 10 noteworthy for Its great
brilliancy under present conditions. II Is
now nearly two hundred million miles dis
tant, and yet II has . bright, well defined
nucleus, and we'll developed tail. 1t Is
reasonable, therefore, IN infer that IL Is .
large comet, since IL presents 30 brilliant an
aspect Il distance 80 immense. As IL 10
coming toward us at the rate Of two million
miles Q dsy, IL can not long remain invisible
TO the naked eye.
This is the history Of Comet a, - far as II
Is known, but there Is rich promise OF an
enter, aiming visitor In our sky during the
months Of May and June. The er-
ratio stranger is moving westward and north
ward, having greatly changed It's position
since Il was discovered. II has passed from
Hercules into Lyra, within few degrees OF
the brilliant Vega, has now reached the con-
lines Of Draco, and is making lis way into
Cepheus, where IL will arrive some time In
May, when II will make sudden turn and
seem to plunge hesdlong toward the sum- TIL
/, reaches that fearful proximity TO the great
luminary which Isl groundless cause of anx-
iety In many minds. ,+t sa
Those who know the most about cometic
sstrsnomy are the least disturbed concerning
any un,oward accidents In its passage; and
astronomers are locking forward 70 Its close
.pprosch to the Gun a possible means OF
learning something co,icernlng the physical
structure sf the huge globe Of fire that 10 In
timately and inseparably interwoven WIN
the destiny Of the human race.
The time of the perihelion passage 10 given
bv Professor Boss on June 18th; distance
| from the sun, about ten million miles.