Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1886-04-15
THE rwo ooxErs.



THEIR Approaoh 60 the sun and
Earth Daring April and May.
Baltimore American.
The two comets discovered in the begin
ming OF last December are still approach
ing the earth, and will become visible to |
the naked eye In due time. Fabry's, dis |
covered at Paris on December list, Is coming |
toward us at the rate of $500, 900 miles per |
day, and about the last OF this month will
be only some 100000 miles distant.
When first discovered 1t was some
zoo, 200, 900 miles from the sun, and about
125,000,000 miles from the earth. On the
9th Instant it reached Its nearest point 10
the sun, about $4,000, 900 miles, and since
that date 1t has been receding from the sun,
though still approaching the earth. The
comet Is now In the constellation OF Andro-
media, about 100 north OF the great Square
of Pegasus" tits moving slowly northeast
among the stars, but about the middle OF
the month will turn and move with
gradually increasing velocity toward the
southeast, until It passes out OF our view In
| the Southern Hemisphere. 1t now rises
| north about l.30 o. M, and
| sets northwest by-north, about p. M, 30
that 1t is almost exactly overhead about 10
| o'clock In the morning. 1t ought to become
/ visible to the naked eye about the middle
| of the month In the morning sky. IL will
not become visible to the unaided eye, IN
the evening sky, until the latter part Of
| the month, II 1t is seen then, as It
| will set, on an average, about half
an hour after the sun all during this month.
| Its calculated brightness will be greatest
about the last of this month, when II will be
fully 400 times brighter than when first dis
covered. Unfortunately, however, 1t sets at
this time only about half an hour after the
sun, and rises about an hour and a half
after It, so that 1t will be invisible in the
morning, and not very conspicuous in the
| evening, owing to the strong twilight.
There Is possibility that this comet may
transit the SUMS disk on April 28th, as IL
then passes the descending node, or that
point In Its orbit where 1t crosses the plane
OF the earth's orbit going south. This
comet is now about 10000, 900 miles from
| the earth and sun.
Barnard's comet was first discovered al
Nashville, Tenn, two days after Fabry's. II
was much further from both the earth and
the sun than Fabry's, being fully 100, 900 ,00(
| from the former, and 900, 900, 900 from the
latter. II Is still approaching both the
earth and the sun, and will reaeh Its perl
helion ON May Sd, when 1t will be abou
"A 100000 miles from the sun, and abou
$4,000, 900 from the earth.
1t Is approaching the earth at the rate o
about 1900, 900 miles per day,a about thu
last OF May will be some 10000, 600 mile
distant from US. 1t Is still some 125, 900, 00
miles from the earth, although only abou
10000, 900 miles from the sun. 1t now rise
Y In the northeast about AIS n. M, and set
. In the northwest about 80 p. M, so tina
s | II Is a few degrees south OF the zenith abou
!. half an hour after noon. This comet is ais
l. within the borders OF the constellation Q
n Andromeda, little south OF Fabry's, bu
o about $50 or so to the east Of It. 1t Is moN
o ing somewhat slowly north among tn
Il stars, but about the beginning Of May wi
d apparently halt, and, making complet
t. turn will begin TO move toward the soutf
Is east, until It is lost to us in the SUMS ray
n toward the latter part OF May. II
10 calculated brightness will be create
1t about May 25th, when it will be nearly 81
II times brighter than at discovery, but III
50 fortunately will not be as well placed at tn
4 time as Fabrys at Its greatest brllliancy, II
r. 1t will then be enveloped In the SUMS rays
ly rising In the morning after the sun, and Sc
Ig ting In the evening before it-being up on
during the daytime, a very bad time for
10 comet to be caught up. This comet w
III probably become visible to the naked o!
r. about the beginning Of May in the morniI
no before sunrise. 1t may become visible u
d. last Of April. The exact brightness OF
re- comet, however, cannot be predicted WI
Ill any degree of certainty, as so much d
&. ponds upon Its physical nature, OF viii
at little Is known. The brightness is 81
culated upon the theory that
he shines by reflected light, and
DIS ponds upon Its distance from
earth and sun. Sometimes 1t exceeds
calculated brightness, and sometimes 1t ia
short OF 1t. There is singular resemblan
between these two comets. Both were d
al covered within a few days of each otht
both were at q great distance from the cal
-, and the sun at the time Of their discove
10. The perihelion distance and the pertheli
itn passage Of both differs but little in distar
4. or time. They are both morning come
md nj mi nj
the fancy both Of them will probably be inv
ate bic, on account of their position with
My spect to the sun. Moonlight in the morn
will for while interfere with both OF the
Is and toward the end OF April both OF tn
.nd will be visible In the morning sky ut on
lte, Fabry's, however at the time will be mi
Hlil the brighter, and will be visible to
I'm naked eye. Barnard's, however, may
nor quire glass to show It,
ave After Fabry's begins to diminish
ent brightness, Barnards will continue to
late crease for nearly month, and Al
sky, Barnard's will still be visible. Fab
the comet will probably be lost in the morn
per- twilight toward the latter part of April.
no 1t should be very bright, 1t might also
lor' visible In the evening twilight about
hk' last of April, although this is doubt
mi Even If IL should be 1t will hardly be '
noticeable. Barnards comet will proba
Giles become invisible In the morning twill
APP about the third week In NAV, Az an CIV
the inc comet II will hardly he Visible Mt
eX- for at the period Of its greatest brightn
NTH and for some time before and after, it
before the sun. Both objects will, TIL
fore, be best seen in the morning. AL
eeks the middle OF April Fabrys comet will
ious within few degrees OF the great nebul
half Anjromeda, which is visible to the ma
gem eye. 1t was in this nebula that the
pers star blazed forth about the LIST of last
the TENDER, appearing first OF the sew
ious magnitude, and then gradually dimin
10 Is ing until 1t became invisible during
who December. 1t is unfortunate that bot
light these comets should beso badly placed
the respect to the earth and sun at the tim
lied their greatest brillianey, as otherwise
ouse might become very conspicuous Object
ha the hnAYans.