Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-03-25
THE LATEST COMET.
characteristics or the Stranger Ap-
preaching the Earth at the Rate Of
Two Million Miles per Day

characteristics or the Stranger Al.
PrOaching the Earth at the Rate Of
Two Million Miles per Day.
Albany Cor. n. Y. Herald.
At four o'clock on the morning of March Is,
Mr.. Charles 8. Wells, oneof the assistants in the
Dudley Observatory, discovered small but very
bright comet in the constellation Hercules This
comet bids fair to be the astronomical sensation
OF the year. On the morning of discovery Mr.
Wells was able to secure but few definite Obser-
vations, owing to WEAKNESS and the rapid ap-
proach of dawn. He did, however, measure q
rough position Of it, and noticed that it had
small tail, equal to about one-fffth of the diane
ter of the moon In length. This tail was intensely
bright. and there was the appearance of q star
like body in the head. News of the discovery
was Immediately communicated to astronomers
and to the public, but owing to unfavorabe
weather but few observations have thus far
been obtained. At the Dudley observatory of
course the new comet has been the one topic of
absorbing interest. The condensed brightness
of the head, the narrow tail, and the slow appa-
rent motion across the face of the sky, all served
to heighten the interest which was felt, and led
the astronomers in Albany to predict for the
strange body an extraordinary future. The
night of March 10 was clear, and another OBJ
servation was made at the Dudley observatory
by Prof Bors and his assistants. The view then
Only served to intensity Impotence for the time
to arrive when the third observation could be
made, which is always necessary before the
future course of a comet can be predicted. On
a few brief glimpses of the new candidate for
celestial honors. The comet had increased in
size and brightness, but clouds and fogs con-
spired to obscure all finer details All day We'd
nesday the Albany astronomers were engaged
on the necessary computations for an orbit and
table of future positions in the sky. Of course,
with such slender material, extending over four
days only. but little could be expected in point
of accuracy. But that little has been sufficient
to excite the most glowing antcipatiens for the
future. The new comet is now approaching the
earth, or rather the comet and earth are
mutually approaching each other, at the enOrm-
GUS velocity of 2. O0O, 900 miles per day. Though
the comet is now invisible to the naked eye, it
cannot long continue to hide it's light. 1t is now
nearly 1856 600 600 miles from the sun. but it will
go on approaching the sun at q rapidly increas-
ing rate until about the middle OfJune, when it
will pass it's periheliOn at distance from the
sun of less than 10, COO, 900 miles.
At present the comet is about one hundred
and sixty millions Of miles from the earth, and
its distance from us will probably not be less
than eighty millions at any time, though fur
ther calculations will be necessary to settle that
point. But though 1t will not approach us so
nearly as other comets have done. it may be ex-
pected to make fine display for few DAYS in
hitherto been known to approach the sun so
nearly as this in all probability will. 1t is to be
regretted, however, that its greatest briIliancy
will occur at time when it will be invisible to
us, and seen only in the southern hemisphere.
In this respect it Will resemble the great comet
of 1885, The present extraordinary intensity of
its light, which comes to US from the enormous
distance of 100. 600. 600 miles. proves that it has
plenty of material for future display. and it will
probably show a long and nearly straight tail of
npn RI cs.Ny,c TO n1Ir nrfy,>r
much of the same sort it viii give us is still some
what problematical, and can only be decided on
the basis Of>further observations.
1t is now invisible to the naked eye and by
small telescope though it is readily seen. yet
owing to it's smallness it can hardly be dis
tinguished from the stars which surround it.
After passing it's perheiion it will probably be-
come again visible in the Northern Hemisphere.
1t now appears in the constellation of the Lyre
near Vega. 1t viii pass to the westward of that
star and about the LIST of April will stand within
four or five degrees from it. 1t will continue
on its journey up into Cepheus, when in May it
will make an abrupt turn and go plunging in
toward the sun.
The elements of the orbit of the new comet
are PeriheliOn passage. Juue Is: periheliOn
place. 40 deg. 30 min; longitude of node 206
deg. 40 min; inclination, II deg. AZ min.; peri
helion distance. 1O0OO,OO0 miles; motion direct.
This comet appears to have no analogue in
the past as no comet is known with elements
able belief in identity. The elements of the
comet of 1897 somewhat resemble those OF the
present comet, but the perihelion distance of
the former is computed to be seven times as
great as that of the latter, Two weeks of fur
Their observation will serve to remove many I'M
certainties which now exist as to the future of
this comet, and these observations will unques-
tiOEably be awaited with the greatest interest
->>>--
The Railroad Liar.
Burdette in Our Continent
1t has always been a source of wonder to me
what a railway corporation expects to gain by
keeping the movements of It's trains profund
mysteries from the travelling public, especially
during periods of sudden emergencies, accidents
and annoying delays. The passengers on the
train, the waiting friends and expectant passen-
gers at the stations are alike snubbed. msled by
evasive replies, or directly and Intentionally
misinformed. All this makes the delay doubly
exasperating to the waiting people, and it
doesn't move the delayed train minute faster,
and doesn't add to the popularity of the road.
When the recent furry of snow and boreal
winds and Arctic cold swept over the land I
waited at great city station of one of the great
est railroads in America Tor train due at 5
O'Clock p. m. l suspected the train would be
late. BY diligent inquiry managed to find five
men in the uniform Of the railroad companys
employees, who assured me that they didn't know
anything about that train.
Well as general thing, railroad man is not
expected to know anything about the trains on
his own road suppose. If that is So these five
neatly uniformed men in the handsOnest station
in America filled the bill to perfection. That is
what the brakeman Melias and Conductor Han
ford knew, and they have got into trouble and
an indictment for it.
But continued my search, and unearthed
one or two more uniformed specimens of colOs-
sal ignorance Of all matters remotely pertaining
to the railroad, one of the specimens, the one
with the bluest coat and brightest buttons, ex-
pressing great surprise at learning there were
any trains at all on the road that dav. Presently
found q liar. who deliberately told me the ex-
press was only fOrty-ive minutes behind time.
| afterward learned that he was not the regular
liar. but was supcrnumerary who was just
| learning his business, and only went on in star
parts when the regular liar was sick. But on
| this occasion there were SO many anxious peopie
asking questions that the entire force of liars at
the disposal of the company was on the stage at
once, assisted by the full strength of the entire
ballet. l met most of them. / found light
comedy liar who, when asked him how much
was ''22'' behind, said it was all behind the
engine. The sarcastic liar finished telling ner-
vOus old woman that the train would be In be-
| fore morning, and then when asked him where
| h.aC h o&oh1 i