The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-01-03
THE GREAT COMET.
DIR. Lewis Swift Discusses its Remarkable
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES DIR. Gill Saw.

DR.. lewis Swift Discusses its Remarkable
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES DIR. Gill Saw.
The Rochester Democrat publishes the
following interesting communication from
DR.. Lewis Swift, of the Warner Observatory:
This comet, now receding from our sight
and which, in a popular as well as a scien-
titic point of view, has been the mostinterest-
ing that has appeared for years is still con-
spicuous object in clear moonlight night,
and would be called fire comet were il not
that IL has exhibited so splendid an appear
ance as contrasted with its present faintness.
Like all comets that were bright when first
seen, it becomes difficult matter to decide
who had the honor of priority OF discovery.
Mr.. Curls first ca5led its discovery Septem
Der II and for while it was supposed, and
very naturally too, that he was the discov-
erer, and so it was called Cruls' comet.
Then came DR. Gould's statement that
he saw it September 6, and it was for awhile
called Cruise comet Still later came
the announcement that Mr.. Finlay, Chief
Assistant of DIR. Gill Astronomer Royal of
South AfTical discovered it on the 7th, and
hence it was called Cruls-Gould Finlay
comet, ard now there turns up still earlier
discoverer in the person of Mr.. Stevenson, Of
Auckland, who alleges that he saw it on the
the 5th, and observed q short tail pointing
toward the sun. His statement is certified
to by our consul at that place, and adds
another 10 the already long list, making its
name comparable 10 the length of its tail.
Mr.. Finlay CDR. Gill being absent) obtai d
some positions of the comet, but with great
difficulty, as the strong twilight obliterated
all the comparison stars. On the stb Dr.
Gill telegraphed its discovery and position
to the astronomer royal OF England, but the
dispatch never reached its des
tination. On Sunday (probably
the l7th) it was visible all day,
and in the afternoon it was observed to De
approaching the sun with enormous rapid
ty, and evidently would sither pass directly
in front or behind the sun, they could not
tell which. 1t was followed to the sums
limb, when it suddenly disappeared, ar
observation without parallel in the whole
history of observatioual astronomy. Ii passed
in front of the sun, but could not be seer
while transiting the solar disk.
The comet has exhibited many anomalou
features. several OF jhem never having beer
witnessed in any previous comet. not thu
, least among them being the division of the
! nucleus into several parts. This seems q
fitting place to do justice to II. c. Maine
) one of the writers on the editorial staff o
the Democrat and Chronicle, who
as far as my knowledge extends, was th
. first in America, If not in the world, Il
. announce the division of the nucleR
| into three parts, and which was afterwas'
t confirmed by several others, notably b.
Parkhurst, Barnard, Wilson, of Cincinnati
Observatory, and by others. On this poin
D DIR. Gill uses the following language: "Whe
S the comet was FIST seen IL had very muc
: the appearance which great many comet
] possessed sharp nucleus and a lonl
= retreating tail like parabolic CIV
J. indsr. About the 22d or %
4 the comets head began to do
I most singular thing. Its nucleus, instead {
!, remaining single, began to get longer, an
Il then elongated still more, until there wei
q rwo little nuclei, which were connected by
strengthening thread between them. The