San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1882-10-26
THE AERIAL VISITOR.
Prof. Piekeriug's Views with Rsfereuee 10 the
Comet and the Danger az Its Falling lst0
the Sun.
dlobe-Democrat.

alobe-Democrat
BosToN. Mass. Oct. 8.-Prof, Pick
ering, of Cambridge. one Of the lead
ing astronomers Of the country, was in
.erviewed in relation to the opinion OF
Prof Proctor and other eminent
English and Continental scientists
that the present comet Is that OF lS43
and 1880, and that IL will again return
in October, 1883, and fall into the sun,
causing terrible disaster to the earth.
The professor said:
You may say that the scientists and
Cambridge Observatory hold no such
views. They have no fears OF the
earth's destruction through any such
collision between the sun and comet.
The probable explanation OF Prof,
Proctor's theory is that he believes that
the comet Of 1S43 reappeared in 1880
and has again appeared at the present
time. From this it is probable that he
infers that the periods of the comets
appearance are growing less and less,
thus showing shortening of it's orbit,
which he claims will eventually, as it
approaches nearer and nearer the sun,
cause it to tumble into it.
Prof. Proctor did not at first believe
that the present comet was the same
tina.
GAME TO THE ASTRONOMERS
in 1843 and 1880, but is now satisfied
that it is the same one. This conclu-
sion on his part may have been helped
by the report of Prof Boss, of the Dud-
Icy Observatory, who claimed that the
comet of those years is but the reap
pearance of the same one at different
periods of time. The latter professor
expressed his belief that it would again
appear in 1884,, which is one year later
than Prof. Proctor's prophecy, and that
it would then be 20 near the sun as to
pass into its rays, and that it would
in all probability never appear again.
In this conclusion he differs from the
London professor, insomuch that the
former predicts that the comet will be
destroyed without materially disturbing
the solar system or in any why damag-
ing the earth. This claim is based
on the fact that this comet is the same
one that app sered in 1S43 and 1880,
and has be Ndually decreasing its
orbit, W appearing after in
tervaIs 40 years, instead of thirty
or forty ears. The professors of the
Cambridge Observatory do not believe
THAT THE PRESENT COMET
is the same one that appeared in 1880,
although they are somewhat similar.
Prof. Chandler has computed that
the comet of 1880 will not return until
after period of thirty or forty years,
nor do the Cambridge professors believe
that the present comet will return in
1884. At the last time an observation
was made, two or three days ago, the
mornings being SO cloudy lately as to
interfere with the astronomers obser-
walton, it was shown that it Twas grad.
ually receding from the sun and earth,
and they are at work computing its or
bit. They believe it will not return in
several years. As it is, they haven't
the least apprehension Of the terrible
calamity predicted by Prof. Proctor.
TIE latter gentleman is popular as
Economical lecturer, but not mathe-
matician, and it is more than probable
the he, having read the report of Prof
Boss that the present comet is the same
one as appeared in 1843and 1880, came
to the conclusions adopted.