The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1892-11-30
BIELA'S COMET
Failed to Collide With the Earth
on Schedule Time.
No Particular Harm Would Have Resulted
Had the Collision Occurred-Prof.
stockwell Gives Some Interest
Ing Facts Regarding the
Observations OF As
tronomers.

clash with the supposed comet OF Biela
which was scheduled for yesterday
needless to say, did not occur. At leas
there is no evidence that 1t did To-day
the earth moves along in its orbit un
mindful of the comet and Us careless a
before. So far as the earth was con
cerned, however, II was In the right po
sition TO be hit But the comet did mo-
come within striking, or even speaking
distance. Had both the comet and the
earth met by chance at the same in
slant of time in their journey through
space, something might have happened
but according to astronomers, no seri'
GUS results would, in any case. have be-
fallen the earth or any Of its inhabi'
tants. Prof. 6ohn N. Stockwell, the
well-known astronomer Of this city,
speaking to a Leader reporter on the
subject Of trouble with the threatened
visitor, said:
II have not yet been able to observe
the comet save once, and then through
a haze. / have been anxious to point
my telescope to IL, but the condition OF
the sky has not yet afforded me the
privilege. For this reason / have not
been able to make any computations or
form any definite conclusions regarding
It do not think that any of the as
tronomers yet know much about It.
Their observations have not been at all
conclusive. There have been many
rumors about its coming to us but oil
the scare was without foundation. The
exact location Of the comet is not yet
settled After the astronomers have COM
puted and wrangled little longer, they
may come to some conclusion in the mat
ter and that will perhaps form the basis
for an opinion. One star gazer may have
certain data for his calculations, differ
ing only slightly from his neighbor, and
yet the final results would be widely at
variance. There is, practically, no In
formation that the comet is even COM
ing toward us 1t is only three weeks
now since II was discovered and that Is
not long enough to establish certain
ties There was no occasion for solici-
tude on account OF cometary clash.
Should II have happened, we would not
have been injured. The comet would
have been consumed In passing through
our atmosphere, and brilliant display
of aerial fireworks would have been the
most attractive feature Of the affair
II the comet moves In its orbit as
1t did In 1882 there might have
been meeting to-day, but II the
earth passes the point Of possible con-
tact in safe ty, II has, to use slang ex-
preston, given the comet the shake
Biela's comet by the way, Is
an uncertain quantity. It has a
checkered history. II was discovered
March 8, 1779, by Montaigne, a French
man Of Limoges. Thirty-three years
later II was seen by Pons, another
Frenchman. Then II kept itself In con-
cealment until 1925, when an Austrian
officer, named Won Biela, caught o
glimpse Of 1t not knowing, however,
that II was the same comet seen by
Montaigne and PonS Biela took the
pains 10 compute the orbit OF the comet
before he discovered that IL was, after
all, the same one as seen by others
As a reward for his good services
his friends named the comet In
honor Of Biela. II Is curious fact
that, during its eight revolutions from
the time II was first seen, astronomers
had observed II but three times An
explanation for this fact is found In
another, namely, that II was necessary
TO point the telescope directly upon Il
before II could be seen. In 1929 the
comet was recognized as being periodic
The first return OF the comet after 1929
was In 1882 AS result Of predictions
similar 10 those Of a few weeks ago
great excitement was caused from fear
Of collision. 1t was found that the
orbit Of Blela would cross the earth's
orbit on November 81, and at very near
the distance which the earth Is from
the sun at that point II both would
cross at the same time a collision was
Of course, inevitable. The condition
was not fulfilled and the great catas-
trophe was thus happily averted In
1889 the comet was again due, but II
was not observed on account
Of It's position on the other
side Of the sun from the earth.
In 1S45 two comets appeared in place
Of one and moved together in the same
direction. Could II be that Biela had
found mate? Astronomers dissipated
that view by proving that the smaller
had In some way been thrown of from
the larger. having formerly been part
Of the original comet Again in 1859 a
pair Of comets appeared, this time at
lonesome distance OF 1,500,000 miles
apart. Scientists were unable 10 dis
one from the other, or TO tell
which was primary and which second
ary. Biela was due again in 1859, but
Its position was such as TO be unfavor-
able for observation. Consequently, no
facts were ascertained regarding It's per-
sonal department When, in 1854, as
tronomers searched for the expected Wis
itor II could not be found Night after
night their telescopes were pointed TO
the place where II ought 10 be, but they
saw II not Many entertained grave
fears that II had gone TO stay. Yet
when II again became due in 1879, the
vigilant star seekers began their search
anew. The comet 10 moving 30 slowly
that II Ia impossible 10 tell exactly the
direction OF its motion. IL may DO visi-
Bile for some months and In case II sp.
proaches the earth II will make an In
teresting object for contemplation with