The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-11-21
THE COMING COMET.
The Mysterious Fiery Messenger
Now Speeding Toward Us.
DIREREsULTs THAT MIGHT HAPPEN

New YORK, Nov. 21.-The monster
[comet which was discovered but few
days ago and is now growing larger and
larger night by night, has excited the
astronomical world to an unprecedented
extent, because of the mystery surround
ing its appearance and the results which
are likely to follow its approach to the
earth When the comet was first seen
by Holmes, on Nov. 8, it was mere
epeck, but its appearance in the part of
the heavens where it was found was SO
unexpected and startling that the news
was telegraphed to astronomers in all
the leading observatories of this country
and Europe. Professor Berberich, at the
Seriln observatory, was one of the first
20 devote his entire time to the study of
the new comet as soon as its position in
the heavens was known. After careful
examination Professor Berberich took
up the astronomical statistical tables
which are supposed to explain the move
ments of all the heavenly bodies, but
could not there find anything which
would explain the appearance Of the
comet at this time.
Unable to Positively Identify 1t.
Unable to specifically identify the
comet as one previously observed and to
be expected at this time, Professor
Berberich resorted to the law of proba
hlities to explain its appearance After
much calculation the only explanation
he could hit upon to account for the
strangers presence was that it was the
famous comet of Biela, whose disap-
pearance, after they thought they knew
all abouti it, has long mystified astrono-
mers, for during its brief career it was
She most most astonishing object they
had ever looliedupon.
The Biela comet was disc TerEed in
1s28 by an Austrian, after whom it was
named. 1t appeared in 1882 and 1889,
and was last seen in 1852.
II the record of Biela's comet was not
such bad one. there would not be the
afghtest doubt that it is that fiery mon
SER which is now heading this way. Its
periodicity has arrived; its time is up.
Nov. 81, 1899, is the date when it ought
to be nearest to the earth. But for sew
crai years astronomers had been COM
placently regarding it as lost" Their
theory-for special theory had to be
made to fit this particular comet-was
that, after having once exploded in the
heavens, it had gone on bursting rs it
lew through space. and that they were
well rid of the whole affair. Therefore,
II is that scientists, having come to this
conclusion, are 10th to believe that
Hela's comet has again appeared upon
the scene which it was supposed to have
abandoned to their infinite relief.
1t May he Bieia's Comet.
At any rate they say that if it is really
Bielas comet which is now coming rap
sdly into view they are partly correct,
because one of its parts has disappeared.
After it burst the two parts kept COM
pany for several years, being few hun
dred thousand miles apart and they
were supposed to be inseparable. Only
one comet head has thus far been OBJ
Berved, which leads to the belief that the
other has exploded. 1t may have hit
star somewhere. That is alleged by
scientists Us the cause of the original ex-
pSoslOn, for they profess not to under
Band how it could burst of its own voli-
k0n.
1t would SEEM if the comet now ap-
pgoaching is not the Birla comet, that it
would be an easy matter for the astron-
omers to tell what comet it rs. This,
however, they are unable to do. While
hssitating to believe thatit can be Biela's
eomet coming back to earth with load
oil in the matter OF velocity, not single
astronomer has thus far had the courage
10 give it another name. This is be-
cause there is no other Wanderer of the
heaven which, with any show or reason,
could be said to be due about this time
What Might Happen.
Moreover, when tho comet gets within
speaking distance of the earth there is
no knowing what it may do. Supp sing
IL happens TO be eight hours late2 That
is question which many thinking
Bcientists familiar with the habits of
Bielas comet have asked themselves.
Should the earth at the same time be
to schedule, the results which would fol-
low, it is believed, would he of start
ling nature Or course this is probably
not going to happen, but no astronomer
has vet been found who will say it is i'm
possible.
On the contrary, nearly all those who
have been observing the comet during
the past week have been making APP
pToximate estimates as to the length of
Eme which will divide the two bodies
nsxt Sunday night. Time, not distance,
q the fact to take into consideration in
such matter, for Biela's comet only q
million miles away would, it is said,
cause almost as much damage as it it
hit the earth in the back of the neck.
Up to the present time, however, it
has been found impossible to accurately
drtino the rate of speed at which the
comet is travelling and the exact course
WHICH, ~ Will lOliDN. vi NOtilstt lODEttl
nt through "a telescope, it is seen to he
heading straight for the EARTH SO inuch
80 that the full extent of its tail cannot
be seen, hut ii is still 50 far away that
the direction which would carry it
around the globe at q safe distance could
mot now be noticed.
In every instance, when Bieln's comet
has approached the earth its appearance
has been accompanied by immense mum.
Of f4ilt
reason TO believe that many meteort
will be seen this week.
Deadly Metcors.
These meteors, which fly in myriad.
with Biela'g comet, are almost solid balls
of iron. Many Of them explode like
shells from man-of-war when they
strike the ground while others plunge
into the sea with a loud report or bury
themselves in the earth. Men and cattle
hit by these falling stars have been in
stantly killed. There are countless mum
bers of them in the tail of the comet
and they trail behind 1t for millions oi
miles. Passing through the atmosphere
Of the earth many are attracted by it
gravity. Here is what the eminent
Scientist Maupertuis has said in regarc
To the possible contact of the eartn will
o comet
"With their variety Of movements, il
is clearly possible for comet to encoun
ter some planet, or even our earth, upoi
its way, and II cannot be doubted tina
terrible results would eusue. On tn
mere approach of these two great bodie
great Charges would be effected in thel
movements, arising either from thei
mutua attraction or from the action o
come fluid compressed between them
Tho least of these movements would sui
hce to change the position of the axi
and the poles Of the earth. The portion Q
the globe which had been previousl
near the equator would be situated, ,afte
such an event, near the poles, and tha