Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1892-11-25
NAT BIZ BUMPED
BY 4 Big C0MgT.
A Hnqp, Fisr' MOI. 'er Rapidly
Coming ?his Way.
0H2 WILL APPEAR MANY
Tim ES LARGER THAN A
Fl,LL MOON.

e NEW YORK, Nov. lo-u the
,met discovered by Holmes on IT,
night of November 6 really proves
to be part of the lost comet Of Biela'
IS some astronomers now beli.ve
the ..hairy stag" will he very clos'
neighbor of0urs on November q.
the date OF its nearest approach T.
he earth.
1t is not likely to hit US, but eve
{ it does IL will get the worst Of t"f
crash. Far from doing any Dana
tine collision would furnish magni
fs:ent display Of celestial fireworks
9 ,ch as the crash on November ~.
1882, when the earth was crossing
the old track " the lost comet, ar
again il November, 1886, when tie
earth once more cut through ti.s
G comets path.
VERY CLOSE TO EARTH.
1t is.pot, however. BY any meaas
certain that the mysterious wonder
whiriing directly.toward Us with ap
palling velocity froiu the depths o;
space is Biela's comet. All tha
can ut present be said is that it AZ.
pears to be travelling in the difec
tioa taken by Biela's.
Not-enough observations have ="
far been made to give with any ac
curacy the intruder's orbit Pro
fessor ierberirh's statement mad
70 the world from Berlin November
10, that its orbit was the SAM ~
that of Biela'sS has been contra
dicted. Professor Pickering ia
clifles to Professor Herberich 9
views, hut is not absolutely sure.
: Biela's comet is particularly in.
teresting to us because its orhi.
lies within few thousand miles OF
the earth, so close according t.
Professor Young, of Prince.on tnat
if the comet and the earth were TO
arrive at the nearest point at the
same time there would he a collision.
the earth passing through the outer
portion Of the opponents head.
THE NOON ISN'T IN 1T.
Professor Boss, from what he I,a
seen of it. is convinced that there is
likely TO lie very close approacl'
between The comet and the earth
He estimates the outside neDulosity
Of the comet 10 be $4,000 miles.
which shows it to he q monster OF
The largest size. 1t has moreover
been authoritatively stated that tn.
comet is now approaching the earth
30 rapidly that within a short time it
will appear in the heavens "man,
times larger than the diameter OF
the full NOON"
Biela, an Australian officer, dis
covered the comet, which was named
for him in 1886. Gambert, French.
man, determined it's per!oi-tlal is,
the time required to complete arevo-
luton OF its orbit-as six and six
tenths years. For this reason tn.
bonnet is also known a, Gam mbert's.
IT SPLIT IN TWO PIECES.
On It's return in 1889 it was clear
y visible, but when it became due
IN 1889 it was above the horizon
only in the day time SO that its
length was hidden by the greater
glory OF the sun It was on its re
in 1916 that it attract. d
special attention by splitting into
.wo pieces. Previously its SHAPE
vas much like that of big brass
headed tack or an ice pick.
The present is the month an
rear when the comet is due 10 Re
urn provided it has not been dis
ntegrated in the meantime. Is tic
sonnet now visible in tie can-tella
ion Of Andlomeda Bicla or is it
mother that has appeared mere y
e? As far AZ the appear
Ince OF the celestial visitor is con-
,erned no inference can he drawn.
to Professor Rees the
:nmet or nebulous envelope sur
'ounding the nucleus is almost per-
ectly spherical. The nucleus is
veil devel ped and elnn ,ated.
PRoBABIi TT OF A COLLISION.
Ever since the discovery Of B Ella.
'omet men have stood more or le
u dread Of the fiery visitor. Tn
gnorant tremble before il q. presag-
,g vars, famines. resiiIence. con-
lagration and other evils, while
many well.edncatcd persons are