Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1892-11-25
The Coming Comet.

The Rochester Post Express has the fol-
lowing
DIR. Louis Swift says: 81 predict that on
the evening Of the 27th of this month, as
soon as darkness falls, there will commence
rain of fire which will be remembered for
years This display is not one of the
periodic ones alluded to before, but is con-
nected with the appearance of this new
comet. AS the whole matter is OF great I'M
portance in astronomy, will explain the
connection. Meteoric showers used to cause
terror on all sides. AS recently as 1888 the
lower classes in this country confidently ex'
pected the end Of the world had come on
the appearance of violent disturbance OF
this sort Now il is known that meteors
are closely connected with comets, and it is
believed that they may be parts OF comets"
DIR. Swift produced the following tele-
gram "Berberich cables comet Holiness,
possibly Biela's John Richie, Jr." That
would be puzzle to an ordinary mortal,
but DR.. Swift read and re-read it with evil
dent relish. Dr. Swift examined Holiness
comet on Thursday night with care and was
struck with several strange qualities pos
sessed by it. On Friday afternoon the tele-
gram came. The Interpretation of the mes
sage is this: John Richie, Jr, observer at
Harvard University, sends this notice to Dr.
Swift to inform him that cablegram from
the German astronomer, Berberich, has been
received at Harvard stating that Holiness
comet may be found to be the famous Blela's
comet"
81 believe that is the true solution" said
DIR. Swift. This is certainly the most re-
markable comet have ever seen. In its
clean outlines and position there is some
thing familiar. Biela's comet is, perhaps, the
most interesting of the heavenly bodies.
We know that il should be seen at certain
periods. Sometimes VIII n its season comes
it bazes fiercely, at others there is not
trace OF it, and again it appears IN two dl-
visions separated from each other. In l772
Montaigne discovered comet: thirty three
years later Pond found another, and IN 1896
Biela gave his name to new comet. Imagine
the surprise of the astronomical world when
it was learned, a few years later, that these
three comets were one and the samel Cal
culators at once began to search out the
path OF this heavenly tramp, and 1t was
proved that it should appear once in six
teen and six tenth years. The figuring was
correct, and sometimes the comet appeared
when the glasses were ready. AT other times
it would not even show tail feather. 1t was
noticed, however, that Biela's comet came
in sight only on multples of the time cal
culated for its regular appearance"
visit rs at another?" was asked.
"No, indeed" was the reply. ain 1916
Bea's comet was seen to be divided into
two parts; in 1859 the division was more
prominent. When detective is on the
track OF a crook who has hitherto succeeded
in going into secure hiding places when
hard pressed any clew is seized eagerly.
The phenomena Of 1916 and 1859 gave us a
clew to the tricks of Biela's comet. Gould
il be possi6eY asked some one, that Biela's
comet at certain times breaks up into pieces,
remains Tor period in chaotic state and
that, after time, the parts are again drawn
together by some strange force and the comet
formed againP Then it was remembered
that the appearances of this comet had often
been connected with meteoric showers.
Bielas comet was due in 1866 and that year
marked the most wonderful meteoric shower
ever seen in Europe or Asia. We had only
a remnant OF II here, and yet | counted $50
meteors during the night flied my peck
cts with keys, pennies and so forth and drop
ped one into my right pocket for each meteor.
On reaching 100 | put penny in the left
pocket. Such a method would have proved
vain in Europe, where 100000 could be seen
from one point"
"The inference is plain" continued the
astronomer aft this is Beas comet, as |
lIlllJ bCilINti bh llI hlBbb VI ANDNVhibSi ~
it will give us great meteoric display. A
few sparks may fly on the night of the 25th,
but the main interest will center on the
first named date, A star shower is always
a fine sight, but if my prophesy comes true
we shall learn more about this, the most
mysterious and nearest of all comets, which
has not been seen since 1852, although ex
pected once in six years"
"lIow far away is the comet !" was asked.
ain one of its visits" was the answer
"Bielas comet came so close to the earth
that if the latter had been delayed or ad
vanced, have forgotten which, one month
| in its course there would have been col
lision. 1t is quite within the bounds of
probability that this comet will strike the
earth some time. Indeed, it may be moving
! directly toward us now. On Thursday night
! my slide was so heavily weighed with snow
| | could not move il, and only caught
| glimpse OF the new conner through a shutter.
| Friday night was too foggy to give view.
| In clear weather the practlced eye can see
| Biela's without glass, so we shall soon
! know more about it,"