Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-10-18
BARNARD's NEW COMET.
Coming Towards the Earth at the
Rate of 100000 Miles a Day.

Coming Towards the Earth at the
Rate of 100000 Miles a Day.
The result of the calculation on the or
bit Of the comet recently discovered by
Prot. Barnard was announced from the
Dudley Observatory last week. ltshould
be remembered that this celestial wan
derer is not the one whose identity with
Davis comet was pointed out several
days ago; but it is brighter one, visible
Just before sunrise. 1t Is believed to be
making its first visit to our system, as
no comet like it has been recorded for
centuries paRt.
The heavenly visitor is now on the south
side OF the ecliptic or plane OF the earth's
orbit. In a few days il viii pass above
That orbit, and will go on d@y after day
nearing the sun until the middle of De-
eember, when 1t viii be only $4,000, 600
miles away, according to calculations.
The comet Is at present 200, OO0,000 miles
from the earth and is growing rapidly
brighter. 1t is already half as bright
again as it was at discovery,
SIX DAYS ago, and by the middle of De-
bright as IL is now. 1t will remain so
faint, however, as to be hardly visible to
the naked eye, even at its brightest. Its
movement toward the earth Is 1000, 600
miles day.
Speaking of comets in general Prof
Barnard recently said that they are
among the most interesting and myster-
tOus OF the celestial bodies. A curious
fact is that the tails OF comets always
point from the sun. If the comet is APP
preaching the sun its tail follows it, ana
II it Is leaving tine sun Its tail precedes it..
This known fact has greatly puzzled as
tr0nomers, who have never Yet been sat
isiied with any theory that has been ad-
Vanced as to the cause of this queer freak
OF the part of comets. The most accept
ed is that when a comet approaches the
sun it eXerts double force, attracting
particles Of the nebulus, and acting on
certain matter in the nucleus so as to
cause such a disturbing influence as to
force the nebulus matter out from the sun.
AS to the origin OF comets. the old
theory that they are bodies wandering in
Infinite space is most generally accepted.
According to this theory the comet pass
ing within the influence of the sun, or
Jupiter or Saturn or other great planets,
is drawn within our planetary system.
If it's velocity is so great as TO pass round
the sun in parabOical orbit ii may pass
off again into space, but If IL is weaker
the sun or some OF the planets may draw
il back so as to cause 1t to describe an
elliptical orbit, and so fix 1t in our sys-
TEN.
Comets are hard things TO calculate on
there 10 so much to influence them and
influence their course, and sometimes as
tronomers will predict that one Will show
itself with great brilliancy, when on the
contrary it may turn off so as 10 be
scarcely visible.
The Chinese have records of observa-
lions OF comets for several hundred years
before Christ, but most OF these are SO
vague as 10 be almost valueless. Some
are sufficiently eXact, however, as to
enable the star gazer to roughly foretell
a comets temperance.
As TO the causes OF the different degrees
| OF brilliaucy, Prof. Barnard said that little
is known, but 1t is thought that some Of
them, being composed OF more sensitive
matter, when approached close 10 the
| sun throw out the nebula that forms the
bright tail; while the other, having a
hard-headed nucleus, PUSHES close by the
sun without being affected.