The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1885-04-18
TheCo.net.
Bill Nye, in Detroit Free Press.

NH -NgSI III ltNAlhit iANt ANaN'
The comet is kind ofastronomical
parody on the planet Comets look
some like planets, but they are thin
ner, and do not hurt so hard when
they hit anybody as q planet does.
The comet was so called because it
had hair on it, | believe, but late
years the bald-headed comet is Civ
ing just as good satisfaction every
where
The characteristic features of Il com
ct are: A nucleus, a nebulous light
or coma, and usually luminous
train OF tail, worn high. Sometimes
several tails are observed on one
comet, but this occurs only in flush
times.
When | was young / used to think
| would like to be a comet in the Sky,
up above the void SO high, with moth
ing to do but loaf around and play
with the little new laid planets, and
have good time but now / can see
where | was wrong. Comets also
have their troubles, their perihelions,
their hyperbolas and their parabo'a as.
A little over 800 years ago Tycho
Brahe discovered that comets were ex-
tranoous to our atmosphere, and since
then times have improved. | can see
that trade is steadier and potatoes run
less to tows than they did before.
Soon aft that they discovered that
comets al! had more or less periodici-
ty. Nobody knows how they got it
All the astronomers had been watch.
ing them day and night and didn't
know when they were exposed, but
there was no time to talk and argue
over the question. There were two
or three hundred comets all down
with it at once. 1t was an exciting
time.
Comets sometimes live to great
age This shows that the night all
Is net so injurious to the health a,
many people would have us believe
The great comet Of 1880 is supp SEE
to have been the one that was noticed
about the time OF Casars death, A b
o. and still when it appeared in New
tons time, seventeen hundred YEAR
alter its first grand farewell tour TX,
SAID that 1t was very well preserved
indeed, and seemed to have retained
all its faculties in good shape.
Astronomers say that the tails OF al
comets are turned from the sun. / d,
not know why they do this, whethe
i 1t Is etiauette among them or just
mere habit
II. late writer on astronomy saiC
v that the substance of the nebulosit,
and the tail is OF almost inconceiyabl
tenmty. lie said this and then deatl
came to his relief
4 Another writer says OF the come
and Its tail that, "the curvature of tn
latter and the accclcration OF the peri
odlc time is the case of Encke's come
indicate their being effected by re
resisting medium which has neve
been observed to have the slightest in
fiuence on the PLANETARY periods.
Nv nv iuily uSIc6 VIII udle Ssll
nent authority, though he may b
right. Much fear has been the resul
OF the comets appearance ever sine
the world began, and it is as good
thing to worry about as anything
know Of. If we'could get close to
comet without frightening it away
we could find that we could wal
through it any where as we could tn
glare Of a torch-lght procession. w
should SO ike that we will not
ashamed to look comet in the ey,
however Let us pay up our Rewspi
, per subscription and lead such live
that when the comet strikes we will b
ready.
Some worry good deal about til
chances for a big comet to plow int
the sun some dark rainy night, an
thus bust up the whole universe.
wish that was all ] had to worr
about. II any respectable man wi
agree to pay my taxes and funeral G.
I, penses, will agree to do his worr,
ing about The comets crashing int
the bosom OF the sun and knockin
its daylights out