The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1882-10-21
Prem ~ Daily q Friday.
TN "031l19TIAL TRAMP"
9Cienti0O Theories .. PoetentiouG
Import Of tho WANDERING
Nebul0.

facts to set before the readers Of the
AIxER, turned out yesterday morn
Ing at an unchristian hour to new
the comet. The great nebule IL now
on the wane, but IL nevertheless .
brilliant sight, much finer than that
Of last year. It 10 gradually rising
earlier, and within . short time We
may hove to see II by midnight; q
more convenient boar for most PEG
pie than $50 in the morning. In
some respects this comet recalls de-
scriptions Of the great comet Of 1911.
The tail IS about ~ degrees long and
between aud 5o'clock in the morn
Ing 1t makes IN angle Of about forty
nine degrees with the eastern hosi-
zon. 1t " slightly bent or sword
shaped, the concave part being TO-
ward the north. There Is N appear
ance ~ Of narrow, dark rifts running
length wise through 1t. Its perfectly
sharp outlines and steady light in
crease the appearance Of solidity,
which 1t once impresses the hel,older
OH seeing the comet.
Although regarding our visitor
with admiration and ave, there is no
cause for fear. That . comet can dam
age either the earth or sun h regard
ed by scientists ~ an impossibility.
Exactly what . comet IL, no one darss
venture more than an opinion.
Herschel says: 1.-THE most unsubstan-
tial clouds must be looked upon ~
dense and massive bodies, compared
with the liln,y and almost spiritual
texture Of the comet. The
tail Of a great comet may, for aught
We can tell, consist Of few pounds,
or even ounces, Of matter"
No matter how great the velocity
Of 80 unsubstantial body, collision
with the earth must result only In
damage to the comet. Comets have
always beeu associated In the minds
Of the ignorant and supentitious with
the coming Of portentious events.
The comet which appeared early in
the reign of Augustus was believed
to be . celestial chariot sent for the
soul Of Julius Cesar, which It convey
ed to Heaven to be admitted to the
ranks Of the immortal gods. In II:
u. C., . comet appeared which occu-
pied the fourth part Of the sky and
was more brilliant than the sun. It
remained for seventy days. In this
year Alithritlates was born. and says
Justinian: "When Mithridates as
cen.lcl the throne q comet appeared
for seventy days exactly like that
seen at his BIRTH" The success Of
the expedition Of Tim"leou to Sicily
81 d. G. was predicted ty "a burn
ing torch In the heavens which went
before the fleet to Sicily"
Many instances Of comets being re-
garled Us forel,otling evil might be
cited. The deaths Of Charles the
Bold in S77 and Of Pope Alexander
III in ISL. were each preceded by
comets. In 1856 HaIley's comet ap-
pearcd with tail curved like CHM
etar and extending twO-thirds Of the
distanc.. from the horizon to the
zenith. The appearance Of this por-
te,tions object ut u time when Eu-
rope was threatened with y 3fnslen
inunt:ation produced the utnh~t con-
s!ernation.
Pope Calixtis III, regarding the
comet as an ally of the enemies Of
Christcn.loln, ordered church bells
rung and prayers offered for deliver
ance. The comet reached its peri
billion and gra iual.y rscejes!; the
Mol,ammcdan seise II Belgrade wa.
raised, and the comet disappeared
iru,., view. The coincidence was
regarded as positive proof Of the a'l'-
ance I've: ween the celestial hosts and
tl,ose Of the enemies Oi The church,
from which total humiliation was
only averted by the prayers Of the
faithful. Instances might be multi
piled of the appearance o: comet
being considered the harbinge: Of
n,omcntous events, which in the
liylt Of modern sc fence seem ritlic,,-
lJus in!iacies.