Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-10-12
THE GREAT COMET.
Our Celestial Yisitant All the Talk In
Scientific Cireles-What Leading
Astronomers Say.
The Destruction of the World Predicted
Upon Its Return in October, 1883
Various Theories.

NEW YORK, October 1.-THE Herald pub.
lishes lengthy interview with Prof. Park
hurst concerning the comet.
"The tail" said he, "is at least 15o long
and would reach between the two most
extreme stars of the handle of the great Dip
per-that is, about $4,000, 900 miles-more
than half the distance from The earth TO the
sun. In this comet the tail points away from
us. The reason that Donati's comet looked
go large was that its tail pointed this way"
"Was 1t more brilliant when it was first
descried?"
THE head was as bright as Sirius when ]
saw it first, and 1 thought the tail would
lengthen until it reached Alphard. But il
has not come more than 100000 miles
nearer to us than the sun. 1t came up from
beyond the sun, you zee, passed 1t and then
passed back again. 1t is fast recedipg, prob
ably at rate Of 2, SOC, 900 miles a day. But
this rate will gradually be lessened. AT the
present time il is about 20, 000, 900 miles from
the sun and 120, 100000 miles from u.s."
"Has it been very near the earth?"
ooh, no. Donati's comet came three times
as near us. But it is remarkable thing
tina! on the 18th, 18th and 10th of September
/ could see this comet at MONDAY with my
telescope right through a considerable veil
of mist, but now the telescope fails to bring
it out in daylight, even while the sun is be-
low the horizon"
"Will people who keep respectable hours
be able to see the comet after awhile?"
"They will not be able to see it before mid
night, that is certain. Every day after this
it will be visible in its present place FIVE
minutes earlier. The sun is travelling east
ward about one degree day, and the comet
is moving westward little less than a de-
gree. You see they are moving in opposite
directions, and while the comet rises earlier
the sun rises later. So, although the bright
ness of our phenomenon is decreasing, yet
when we see it against perfectly blue sky,
as we soon shall, it will be. viewed 10 more
advantage than at present. The moon is on
The wane, too, and when her light is lessened
the sky will be in splendid condition for a
view of the comet"
"But this is the best time to see it, is it
not?"
"By all means. / should advise everyone
who wishes to see this marvel of our planet
airy system TO rise at o'clock in the morn
ing and watch in the southeastern sky for it.
They will have good hours look at it be-
fore it pales. 1t is we'll worth any mans or
mans while 10 get sight OF it. The best
place to see it is at Coney Island, or some
place where the heaven is clear. A good
view may be had from the roof of an ordin-
AIRY three-story house. An opera-glass is =
good aid to the sight; but, as YOU see, the
naked eye discerns all there is."
COMPOSITION OF THE COMET.
What is this comet composed Of? Are
you able to tell yetY
mot altogether. We know it contains
sodium, but in what quantity we are unable
10 cay. You would be SURPRISED to know, /
suppose, that single teaspoonful OF sodium,
volstilized and expanded, would make an
immense comet; but it is fact. Their SUBJ
stance is SO slight that Babinet described 3
comet as a visible nothing The tail is
probably of cloud formation"
HAS this comet been here before?'
q haven't identified it with any other
comet that we know of. Barnard's GOMEZ is
still visible in the sky through the tele-
scope, and the comet Of 1S43 ought not to
return for centuries"
what is your theory as to its origin~
"Well, 1 suspect tn at this comet, together
with that of 1S43 and 1880, belongs to a
group revolving around the sun. They are
all in the same orbit, and there may be
many more which cannot be seen IN the
night time"
"Are they fragments OF cometsW
81 think not. The most plausible theory
yet given is that they are portions OF some
great nebulous or cloudy mass which floats
in space. This mass is supposed to have
been separated by various forces and the
fragments gradually drawn into the orbits
Of suns, around which they revolve as satel-
lites"
"What is there to distinguish this comet
from others, outside of its size?"
"Ths lower edge of the tail is formed of
line of extreme lengthiness. This indicates
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
cience determines it. AS a strange and
beautiful phenomenon it is likely to attract
general attention. To the student of the
heavens it affords subject for examination
md theory. 1t will no doubt serve as a
nucleus for wits to hitch cheap jokes upon,
ind be treated as similar marvels, be they
arthly or celestial, are treated in these ir-
everent days. Time was when this comet
would have created quite hubbub. Those
,ood old seers of old, who knew just what
he planets meant when they did anything
unusual and just what harm or good they
Intended for the human race, could have |
iven all peace-loving people scare at the
prospect OF wars and other disasters which |
UGH visitations were supposed 10 portend
But they have got over that sort of thing |
nowadays. And the comet at the present |
Triting is nothing more nor less than big
uriosity imported from some remote quarter |
f the universe and on exhibition for |
pace in the unequaled show of the firma- |
1ent