The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-10-07
ABOUT THE COMET.
POINTS ON THE CELESTIAL VISITOR,

POINTS ON THE CELESTIAL VISITOR
Further Particulars about the Arrest Of H.
Noted Missouri Outlan-Bratality Al Sea.
Peculiar AtroeItI ofa CsptaIu and
AIts-G.nersl News Notes. .r
New YORK, October CA reporter II
conversation with Prof. Parkhurst Learned
the following in relation to the comet:
"The tail" said he, "is at least filteer
degrees long, and would reach between tht
two most extreme stars OF the handle O
the Great Dipper-that is, about fifteen
million miles-more than half the distance
from the earth 10 the sun. In this conel
the tail points away from us. Tho reason
that Donati's CONT looked 80 largo wat
that It's tail pointed this way"
"Was II more brilliant when It was frs
described?"
"The head was rs bright as Sirius when,
saw it first md thought the tail would
lepgthen until It reached Alphard. But II
has not come more than million miles
nearer 10 US thnu the sun. It came up from
beyond the sun, you see, passed il and then
passed buck agnin. II Is fast receling
probably ut Il ratc OF two and half million
miles II day. But this rate will gradually
be lessencd. At the present time it is abou,
seventy million miles from tho sun and
ono hundred and twenty million miles from
u.s." .",.Ir T.
"lIas it been very near tho earth?"
"Oh, no. Donati's comet came three
times rs near us. But it is remarkable
thing that OIL tho 18Th, 10Th and 20lh ol
September could see this comet at noon
day with my telescope right through con.
siderable veil OF mist, but nov the telescope
fails to bring It out in Daylight, even while
the sun Is below the horizon"
"Will people who keep respectable hours
be abe to see the comet after awhile?"
"They will not be able TO see it before
midnight, that is certain. Every day after
this it will be visible in its present place
five minutes earlier. The sun is travelling
eastward about one degree day and the
comet is moving westward n little less than
II degree. You see they arc moving in
opposite directions, and while the comet
rises earlier the sun rises later. So, al.
though the brightness OF our phenomenon
is decreasing, yet when we see it against a
perfectly black sky, rs We soon shall, it
will be viewed 10 more advantage than at
present. The moon is on the wauo, too.
and when her light is lcssened the sky will
be in splendid condition for view OF the
comet" l
"But this is the best time to see it, is it
nol?" s"
."By all means. I should advise every
one who wishes TO see this marvel OF our
planetary system to rise ut ! o'clock in the
morning and watch in the southeastern
sky for It. They will have a good hours
look at it before it pales. 1t is well worth
any mans or wolnan's while to geta sight
OF it. The best place to yet sight OF it is
at Coney Island or some place where the
horizon is clear. A good view may be had
from the roof OF IN ordinary three story
house. An opera glass is good aid to the
sight; but, us you see, the naked eye dis.
Germs all there is"
"What is this comet composed OF? Are
you able to tell YETI" '0 .G.t'H,
mot altogether. We know 1t contains
sodium, but in what quantity we are I'LL.
able TO say. You would be surprised to
know, suppose, that u single teaspoonlul
OF sodium, volatilized and expanded, would
make an immense comet; but it is Il fact.
Their substance is SO slight that Babinet
described comet rs visible nothing.'
The tail is probably Of cloud formation"
"Has this comet been here before?"
II haven't identified it with any other
comet that we know Of. Barnnrd's comet
is still visible in the sky through the teles.
cope, and the comet Of 1Si3 ought not to
return for centuries"
"What is your theory rs to its origin ?"
swell. suspect that this comet, together
with that OF lS43 and 1880 belongs to Il
group revolving around the sun, They
are all the same orbit, and there may be
many more which cannot be seen in the
night time"
"Are they fragments OF planets ?"''f T.
II think not. The most plausible theory
yet given is that they arc portions oil some
great nebulous or cloudy mass which floats
in space. This mass is supposed 10 have
been separated by various forces and the
fragments gradually drawn into the orbits
OF suns. around which they revolve as
satellites" a' D.t aEE
"What is there 10 distinguish the comet
from others, outside ol its size I"
"The lower edge OF tho tail is formed Of
q line OF extreme lengthiness. This ndi.
Gates nothing in particular yet, but We
may get good results from our study Of it
later on"
Such is the comet and its pedigree as
science determines it. AS 4 strange and
beautiful phenomenon it is likely to at
tract general attention. To the student OF
the heavens it affords subject for e1anli.
nation and theory. It will uo doubt serve
rs a nucleus for wits to hitch cheap Jokes
upon and be treated as similar marvc!s, be
they earthly or celestial, are treated in
these irrevcrent days. Time was when
this comet would have created quite hub.
bub. Those good old seers Of old, who
knew just what the planets meant when
they did anything unusual and Just what
harm or good they intended tor the human
race, could have given all peace.loving
people scare at the prospect OF wars and
other disasters which such visita,ions were
supposed 10 portend. But they have got
over that sort OF thing nowadays. And the
comet at the present writing Ia nothing
more nor less than big curiosity import
cd from some remote quarter OF the uni.
verse and on exhibition for space in the
unequalled show Of the armament.
Z To-
HE CAPTURED 4 DEPOT.
FIFTY Ciiixcns OF Allentown Trying to
I.,sxo n MndluRu. w. us 1lsrap.
ALLESrowS, October 6.-This morning,
at 5 o'clock, an old lunatic, named
Schweitzer, took possession OF the Lehigh
Valley depot at this place and held J. for an