St. Paul daily globe., 1885-07-26
COMETS OF 1885.
Strange Lights i'm the Heavens
Which May Soon be Visible.

Strange Lights i'm the Heavens
Which May Soon be Visible.
Scientific American.
Several periodical comets may be expected
to return to periheliOn during the present
year. Encke'S comet has already put
in an appearance, having passed its
periheliOn ON the 9TH of March. 1t
was detected in 1884, but, as comets
technically belong to the year in which they
pass periheliOn, Encke's comet finds place
on the records of 1885. This comet is our
oldest friend among the class to which it
belongs, for it was first seen III 17S6,
though its periOdicity was not discovered
until 1919. Since that time it has not failed
to make us a visit at intervals of three and
one-third years.
Olbers' comet is another celestial guest
whose return is looked for during the pres
ent year. 1t was discovered by Olbers in
1915, and was found by Bessel to have a
period of about seventy-five years. 1t will,
therefore, probably appear either this year
or the next. 1t will be as warmly well
coined, if it deign to make us
second visit, as the comet of 1912,
or the POns-BrOOks comet, was last year,
for it will rank as third on the list of comets
of a long period that have made more than
one record return. Halley'S comet, with
period of about seventy-five years, stands
first on the list. 1t has been traced back
to the year 1926, and since that time
has made fYe record returns, the
last being IN 1885. 1t will be due
in 1911. The comet of 1912, or the POnS-
Books comet, made its first recorded re-
turn during the last year. If the comet of
1915, or 0lbers' comet, visits us during this
year or the succeeding one, the solar sys-
rniniop in tha TnSSnSsiOO Of thraa
comets of a long period, as they are called,
to distinguish them from the larger family
of comets of a short period.
Tempers comet of 1867 was expected to
reach periheliOn in April. 1t has period
of about six years, was first observed i'll
1867, was seen again in 1878 and 1879. and
was due in April, but has not yet
made its appearance. On March Is.
DR.. Gautier of Geneva discovered
suspicious celestial object that
was thought to be the expected visitor.
Diligent search was made for it at the prin-
cipal obServatOrieS, but without success,
for the object seen proved to be far-away
nebula. Either some unforeseen calamity
has delayed its advent, or one of the giant
planets has turned it into a new course by
its TesistleSs power of attraction.
Tempel also discovered another comet of
SfiOIl DtilOt Ill lOOJ- IL was ulScONeI6Q
by Swift in 1850, when its periodicity was
determined 1t is consequently known as
Swift's comet, and has period of five and
half years. 1t is expected to return to
periheliOn at the end of the year. But it is
likely to pass unseen at its present return,
as it did in 1875, being, in like manner, in
an unfavOrable position for observation.
One more comet closes the list of MEM
bers of the eOmetic family that are expected
to return to perihelion in 1885. 1t is
Tuttle's comet, and seems to occupy
position of its own, having a period of
thirteen and One-half years, and therefore
ranking neither with comets of a long
period, nor with those of a short pc
riOd 1t was first discovered by Mechain,
in 1890. and rediscOvered by Tuttle in 1858,
when its periOdicity was recognized. 1t
was observed in 1871, passing its perihelion
in November. 1t is therefore due in July
of the present year.