The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1884-08-02
A RIDE UPON A COMET.

uduglug auOWu Ine WcSttEu heavens
rendered the April evening skies par
ticularly attractive this year. At
single glance the observer could see
nearly the whole planetary of the sun,
the earth's brother and sister worlds in
shining array. 1t requires no astrono-
mical instruments to perceive that these
planets shift their places from week to
week; that some are slow-paced and
some are swift-footed; that some shine
with dazzling whiteness and others
with a leaden or ruddy hue, and that
they all differ in appearance from the
fixed stars.
This brilliant procession of worlds is
a spectacle of intense interest to every
one who stops to consider how closely
in origin and destiny, as well as in
physical resemblances, they are linked
with the globe upon whose surface we
pass our lives.
But the observer must in imagination
place himself outside the solar system
in order to get comprehensive view of
its relations to the universe around it,
If man could ride upon comet as it
approaches the system from outer
space, he would obtain true concep-
ton of our situation in the universe.
Suppose our rider meets his comet
hundred thousand million miles from
the sun. Even then he has not trayersed
one two hundredth part of the interval
separating the sun from the nearest
fixed star, but he has left all the planets
far behind him. From that mapnifi-
cent height and distance what pros
pect expands around him! Here he is,
out in open space. which spreads away
beyond the reach of imagination in
every direction. There is no sunlight
here, for at this distance the sun has
dwindled to star, and wrinkles among
its fellows. There is no air here, and
the vast dome of the universe is like
jet, with countless millions of stars
glittering on every side like diamonds
in the black depths. Yet it is not even
starlight, for there is no medium to
diffuse their radiations.
And that little point OF piercing light
yonder; that insignificant star, is the
sun, which was wont to shed such an
incomprehensible blaze of light; to turn
night into day; whose rising was like
new creation Of light and lite upon the
earth? Ay, there is no doubt of it.
Thus at one stride into space the star
quencing sun Is diminished to a spark.
And where are the planets, where the
earth ? Hidden in the rays of that
star. The height from which Lucifer
descended when
- From morn
To noon he fell, from noon to dewy eve,
"A summers day. and with tho anf ftp.r ann,
Dropped from the zenith like a falling star"
was trifle to this. Yet even here the
power of the sun is felt. for the comet
begins to obey its attraction and bend
its course toward it. because among all
the multitude of suns which sparkle in
the gloom Of space it is the nearest.
The comets motion is accelerated,
and gradually the star-like sun increases
in apparent size and brilliancy. After
a time 1t becomes clear to the comet
rider that out of the abyss of immensity
he is approaching one Of the populated
places of the universe. If we suppose
him endowed with a most piercing
vision--and in the clear ether even
ordinary vision would possess extraor-
binary power-he may see, in different
other comets iourneyino
southwards, and perhaps meteors in
swarms and sing!y, joining the general
procession toward the solar centre.
Already the loneliness of space is gone,
and his comet and the sun are no longer
the only material bodies within distance
measurable to human comprehension.
The sun continues to increase in size
and splendor as he approaches it, and !
II he had any means Of measuring his |
velocity the passenger would perceive
that the speed of the comet is becom-
ing frightfnl. Now he sees that it is a |
metropolis of the Universe he is an
preaching. All roads lead to it: the
number of his fellow-travelers, coming
from every direction, increases. They
draw closer together as they near the |
locus of their motion.
And presently the solar system. this |
great city of space in which we dwell.
begins to open upon his view as the |
shining cupolas and minarets of Da-
mascus rise from afar before the de-
lighted eyes of the traveller approach |
ing across the plains Of Syria. First.
perhaps, he catches sight of that mvs. !
- .~"S A"HS AsCPeuuhau pfuuct. winch
no human eye has ever yet beheld, but
whose existence some astronomers be-
ieve has been demonstrated by means
d comets which it has made prisoners
o the sun-turning them by its attrac.
ION into closed orbits As they entered
he outskirts of the solar system. He
ices this PARKWAY sentinel planet re-
'oiving ut distance from the sun equal
o nearly twice that of Neptune. Yet
rom his point of view it seems to be |
ust outside the rays of the sun. But, |
orthwith, as he continues to approach.
le catches sight of another family
Inning planet circling around the sun
much nearer than the first. 1t is Nep-
nne Then Saturn with its rings slowly
merges to view; next gigantic Jupiter
ols into sight; then thstswarm Of tiny
'orlds, the asteroids; and then rudy I,
lars; sitter which our earth. with is
!tsRdaat MeyB.turnsits rosad. spotted