Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-04-05
VOLTS COMET.

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VOLTS COMET.
Ifa History as Told by . Professor q.
Hsverford College observatory.
Philadelphia Ledgerl =.
VOLTS comet, discovered in Germany Q
Few weeks ago, now a telesco9ic object
uear the zenith in the evening, "a shown
to have an elliptic orbit and to make q
complete revolution once in about sig
years. 1t Is, therefore . new member Of
the Jupiter group of comets, group which
reach out from the sun about as far a.
Jupiter's orbit, at their greatest distance,
and then approach much nearer.
There is a distinct relation existing
between the time of body's revolution
and its distance. This was discovered by
Kepler, and is thus stated. The squares
of the times of revolution to of planets or
comets are prop0rtioned the cubes of their
mean distance from the sun. Now Jupiter
moves in an orbit nearly circular, and re.
quires about twelve years to 90 around.
The comet moves in hattened ellipse, and
needs six years. The times of revolution
are then as one to two. If we apply Kep.
ier's law we will have as one square 10 to
two squares so is the cube of the comets
distance to the cube Of Jupiter's distance.
This makes Jupiter's mean distance about
once and half that of the comets But
the sun lies in the center of Jupiter's orbit
and near one end of the comets, hence we
see that the orbits are not very far distant
from each other at the outer end of the
comets path. There are eight or ten other
! cOmots of which tho sana NAV he sa;.1
II hardly likely that this is accident, and
q very plausible cause has been assigned,
which may be outlined as follows:
Could We trace VOLTS comet back
through its past history we should prob.
ably see it yielding to the impulse of our
suns attraction while yet far beyond
the bounds of the solar system and rush.
ing in upon us. Its momentum previously
obtained, we know not how or where, pre-.
vents it from moving directly toward the
sun, but il let free to itself it would ap.
proach it closely with ever increasing
velocity, swing around and fly of in an
endless curve into unknown space, never
again approaching our sun. But in its
course through our system it has passed in
front of Jupiter. The great mass of the
planet exercises an attractive influence on
the mass of the little comet, puts break
on 1t, and considerably checks its velocity.
Not now having momentum to carry 10
far away from the sun it yields to its great
attraction, and continues fixed member
o. our system, at each revolution receding
to the point where Jupiter had first checked
its velocity. This is the theory of the OK.
istencs Of all these comets with THAR
| 1vi oil
The planet has picked up the wanderers
one by one and claimed them to Us. How
many times VOLTS comet has been going
around before discovery is not easily
known. But having now been found and
its orbit computed it can be readily fol.
lowed, unless, like some others of its kind,
It chooses to break itself into fragments
and disappear from sight.
We eat for warmth and strength;
hence almost all articles of food have
both these elements; have carbon to
warm. and nitrogen to strengthen, to
give power to work. Butter, sugar and
oils are almost all carbon. All bresds
and grains are mainly carbon. Meats,
flesh of all kinds, abound in nitrogen.
Food which has most nitrogen is most
nutritious" Butter has eighty-thres
per cent. of carbon and no nitrogen; an
egg has no carbon. and twenty per
cent of nitrogen. Milk contains two
parts of warmth and ore Of strength.
Bread contains one part of nitrogen and
eight of carbon. 1t is thus seen that in
reference to eating, carbon-which b
charcoal food-and warmth are one and
the same thing; while nitrogen-which
is in effect saltpeter gives flesh or
muscle, which are one and the sane
thing in subEance with strength. Il
is also seen that most articles Of food
have more carbon or warmth than
nitrogen or strength, showing that it
takes more to keep us warm than to
keep US strong. A sedentary person re-
quires, in round numbers about one
pound of food a day, while
a hard-working man requires
two pounds; this two pounds Of
food gives out power enough-as steaA
in an engine gives out power-to raise
a man of average weight eleven miles
high. But calling the two pounds five
thousand grains, only three hundred
grains of it are nitrogen, the remainder
carbon; that is, sixteen times more of
warmth is required than of strength
producing food. One practical result
is. that IS the world becomes more
thickly populated, the necessity in
creases of economizing food; of adapt
ing it to the various needs Of the system
as modified by age, sex, occupation
and season. Persons living indoors
should not eat more than hah as much
as those who work hard. Less warm
ing food should be eaten in hot weather
than in cold. II we eat an excess OF
warming food in hot weather we have
to work it out of the system at great
expenditure Of strength, and until it
is worked of we feel full and feverish
and oppressed: Oh the other hand,
in winter we require an additional
quantity Of warming food, hence our
instincts lead to eat heartily of pork,
and buckwheat cakes, and butter, and
molasses. which are almost purely car.
bon. In warm weather We nerd cool,
ing food, and Providence sends Us In
profusi6n the fruits, and the berries,
and the green things, which have no
carbon at all; the very idea of fatty food
b nausesting.-HdTs Journal of
HsoM
SAVINGS.