The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-04-05
THE COMET.
[Bin Nye, in Detroit Free Press. /

[Bill Nye, in Detroit Free Press.l
The comet is kind of astronomical
parody on the planet. Comets look some
like planets but they are thinner and do
not hurt so hard when they hit anybody
as planet does. The comet was so
called because it had hair on it, [ be-
lieve, but late years the bald-headed
comet is giving just as good satisfaction
everywhere.
The characteristic features of the
comet are: A nucleus, neoulOHs
light or coma, and usually luminous
train or tail worn high. Sometimes
several tails are observed on one comet,
but this occurs only in flush times.
When | was young used to think l
would like to be a comet in the
sky, up above the world so high,
with nothing 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 parabolas. A little
over 800 years ago TychO Brahe discOv-
cred that comets were extraneous to our
atmosphere, and since then times have
improved. | can see that trade is steadier
and potatoes run less to tops than they
did before.
Soon after that they discovered that
oil had or lacc rartnAfoffxx
Nobody knows how they got it. All the
astronomers had been watching 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 ex-
citing time.
Comets sometimes live to great age.
This shows that the night air Is not 40
injurious to the health as many people
would have us believe The great comet
of 1850 is supposed to have been the one
that was noticed about the time of
Caesars death, A g. c., and still when
it appeared in Newton's time, seventeen
hundred years after its first grand fare
well tour, Ike said that it was very we'll
RiCcCt NCd anu cCCinCN w udNC IC"
tanned all its faculties in good shape
Astronomers say that the tails of all
comets are turned from the sun. do
not know why they do this, whether it is
etiquette among them or just a mere
habit. A late writer on astronomy said
that the substance of the nebulOsity and
the tail is of almost inconceivable tenuity.
He said this and then death came to
his relief Another writer says of the
comet and its tail that "the curvature of
the latter and the acceleration OF the
periodic time In the case of Encke's comet
indicate their being affected by resisting
medium which has never been observed
to have the slightest influence on the
planetary periods. | do not fully agree
with the eminent authority, though he
may be right. Much fear has been the
result of the comets appearance ever
since the world began, and it is as good
thing to worry about as any thing !
know of. If we could get close to a comet
without frightening it away, We would
find that we could walk through it any
where ss we could through the glare Of
a torchlight procession. We should so
| live that we will not be ashamed to
look comet in the eye, however. Let
US pay up our newspaper subscription
and lead such lives that when the comet
striketh we will be ready.
Some worry q good deal about the
chances for big comet to pillow inso the
sun some dark rainy night, and thus
bust up the whole universe, wish thai
was all | had to worry about. If any
responsible man will agree to pay my
| taxes and funeral expenses, will agree
+ to do his worrying about the cometf
crashing into the bosom of the sun anc
knocking its dsylights out.