New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-11-21
IT'S A PUZZLING COMET.
CUTTING A GREAT MANY CAPERS
lust AT PRESENT 1T rs NOT so ENTERTAINING

INST AT PRESENT 1T rs NOT so ENTERTAINING
AS OTHER LIGHTS OF THE HEAVENS.
Is the comet going TO DO falluref There were
many people lasAevening who inclined TO believe
,na, f, was 1t said be visible to the naked eye
and there were who declared that they Tad seen
n but the vast majority OF those who looked FOR II
last evening the nights before. could not catch
clmuee OF II, and were inclined 10 believe that
,tbsr the astronomers playing fair or the
comet was not. 1t would seem that IA weDehaVeo
comet after having been 50 thoroughly advertised,
and after having provoked much curiosity would
sweep on to the stage and perform his part without
keeping his would be admirers waiting. Perhaps The
msnin thecomet II there is one, has Observer Ho'"
his far away station how things are managed on the
Garth snd Is timing hts arrival according TO the pre-
eedent SET by the grand night pageant during the
columbian celebration. AT any rate ne ISN'T mere ye'
mr. anywhere near It and hasn't given any sign OF be-
coming several times the size of the fun moon, Feat
which he is billed TO perform within week
According TO the astronomers the earth and lie are
moving toward the same point IN the heavens Will
the earth considerably in the lead. The earth may not
have travelled extensively throughout the armament
as Mr. Comet has and ii may be content 10 move
n narrower circle. but he must understand thefe
a nothing slow about Us, and that he Will nave 70
hustle, II he Is 10 get wi hin oven million miles
OF
Last evening a perfect enc for starea.hs'
There was scarcely cloud In the sky ana every ths
WAS "as clear as stars in frosty weather. interest
in the comet had been awakened by me anhoniSo
ments that II was likely to become Of enormous SIG
that II was coming uncomfortably near the earrh'
and that II might even strike us full TIT VI
course no one is supersti ious as 70 oenefe
that the appearance Of comet foretels some siesv
National calamity, and most people are aware ,hst
q comet would probably do us htle or no harm II
We should encounter 1t. But the uncertainty which
tbs I'd added
10 the natural In crest felt In an unusual happening
Those who had telescopes field glasses brought
them into play last night and although they COMO
not see much contentcd themselves with the thought
Of having seen than their less fortunate neighoo
Ordinary opera glasses also used, but usually
with little satisfaction. TO those who saw II best, 1t
was only faint glow IN the black shy with few
stsr shining through 1t Ike diamonds gauze Nearly
everybody who ont during the evening made an
attempt 10 find IT. after careful search In their
star charts for Mu In .Andromeda which 1t IS.
The subject furnished fruitful topic of conversation
however, and many young couple made II an eX-
cuse for saying goodOy" longer than usual.
The street astronomer with his crazy instrument was
out. of course. He varied his story with regard to II
according to his estimate OF the astronomical knowl
edges OF his victim. one scientist offered 10 show
several moons with the comet. Tribune reporter
paid the necessary nickel and rewarded with an
indifferent view OF jug .er and his satellites. There
seemed TO be great difference Of opinion as to the
exact position Of the comet If he had been in all
the fields o. view at he would have had to fl
about half the sky. As matter of fact the comet IS
almost exactly overhead during The carly hours Of tho
night and the ordinary street instrument with It's
tripod mounting cannot point there.
The comet should be Mt lis nearest approach to
the earth November 81. 1t should grow brighter
until that time. and people expect on that
evening an unusually brilliant display o; Shooting
stars. great many seen last evening. nearly
all coming from the constellation Of Andromcda.
where the comet Is. The sky VIII be well worth
watching for the next few weeks. both on account OF
these irregular manifestations and account Of the
brilliant stars which occupy II. At the time In the
evening when one Is returning from call the
theatre is perhaps the best hour 10 view II. Mars
govs rudy In the west. Jupiter. the king Of
planets, shines with meridian spendor. Tho blue
white Vega is sinking In the northwest and Capclla
is advancing 70 the throne IN the zenith where Vega
regned supreme during the sumner. in the south
east Is Orion, the grandest constellation IN the
heavens. The region Of Orion is the most brilliant
in the sky. About 81 many stars or tho first
magnitude and below Il Is Sirius. the brightest star
In the heavens Sirius easily be Identified by
its brightness and by the three stars In the belt
ORION which point nearly at II. II is TO be a fine
month for stargazlng. The planets and the fixed
doing their duty nObly. Now let the comet
come up and DO It's share in the entertainment