New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-11-22
NOT BOUND EARTHWARD.
THE COMET RAPIDLY GOING AWAY.
ASTRONOMERS NOW SAY THAT 1T WAS NOT


BIELA'1-THE MISTAKE EXPLAINED.
The comet has given US the slip. AT least so say
the astrouomers. and a. their second thoughts are
expressed In this verdict it ought u BE- correct Ac
cordng to the best authorities the comet has turned
ont not 10 be Biela's and j. now some 2jO,oJO,OOJ
miles away and rapidly recedne. II Is hard to ac-
ccpt this theory after hops Of seeing brllhit III"
unusual celestial phenomenon had been raised 10 Il
high pitch. especially the sdcshow Of shooting s',
has 10 be given mp also. Imt though the comet l.
not destined to come closer and the public VIII 7o'
forget 1t. IT promise, to be famous among astronomers
or the peculiar phases which 1t presented ana the
peculiar difficulties IN the way OF getting dchil''
Information about IT, 1t may be supposed that the
astronomers were stupid to mako such a mislahc aa
reckon that the ieeng stranger was coming 'o"a'u
Us with perhaps hostile intent. As matter OF iac''
however. 1t Is not at all strange that the mS'Hhe
should have been made, the comet Wa mjVihS
nearly in line with the earth, and It's movement
among the stars hard TO trace.
The first announcement that the comet was that OF
Bela was reported from Professor Berberich, CON-
puter at the Office Of the Berlin Astronomical Almanac
Inc Germans careful observers and computcr>'
and the American astronomers easily accepted uic
announcement probably true. The first oosefVa-
tons In this country confirmed the announcement
The comet was where Blela's ought TO be at 'ha'
time. Certain observations Of IT'S orbit were Also
favorable. IfOlcSsOf BOSS AT inc DuultN Cp''''''
tory Albany. q careful and conservative worker, shu
on November 10: "Thc cOmputa ions convinced NE
that this is Bclas comet" Father George NJ Scare
OF the Catholic Observatory at Washington, spe-
ciast on the orbits Of comets was at first inclined 10
agree with Professor EerbeItch Later observauohs'
however showed him that the orbit he had inst
calculated wa wrong.
The last ana best au horitatve statement IS tn''
OF Ether Searc, published I'm the last number OF the
Astronomical Journal" Of Boston. from observations
taken during the latter part Of last week. In II ne
saws that the comet Is fast reccdng. and Is twenty
five times rs far away It was at first supposed
Professor Eoss also changed his mind. and was on
record Yesterday as saying that the comet Is moving
away from the earth.
Professor Rces made some excellent observations
sunday evening at the Columbia College Observatory
md reached the same conclusion. The comet ap-
ncorod 10 be growing fainter AMI hinter frol saCI
r,rnard has observed the comet In the twelve men
telescope at the Lick Observatory, .ul mas Wilc H'
statement about IL, except that ~ appeared p'F-
fccty round. .As..,,
II Is hv no means strange that the comet shoull
oniv nave been II was leaving the SOAR
systnm Il ha, been ar und the sun. ~ course ana
,'.ossrd comparntivcy near 80 rs both Hhng ana
iornr but this T. only what hundreds Of DINER t'l'
comic comets have done There are comet hunters
,rnn do little else than sweep The heaven ever
clnnr night Many comets, however, come I'M" our
,.,n without being seen by these trained watchers,
and II IS probable that many also 20 out unnouc'd.