Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-11-23
Comets Are Erratic,
TO the Editor of The Dispatch:

~ tHc VI lie DlspdIcn:
was amused at your remarks few days
ago on the subject of Celestial Grade Cross
ings.' Such criticisms are necessary to
keep theorizing scientists in check. The
comet which is now approaching the sun is
creating quite an excitement ana some
alarm. Astronomers predicted that this
same comet-supposed to be Biela's-on its
return to the sun in 1882, would strike the
earth and blot it out of existence. Iwell re-
member the alarm that existed on that
occasion.
There is no branch of science moro re-
liable than astronomy, and no writer's more
reliable than writer's on that subject, while
they keep within the contiues of exact
science. ard none more unreliable than they
when they step beyond these limits into the
fields of speculation, especially on the SUBJ
ject of comets 1t required ages to produce
exact tables of the movements of the
planets, but comets set at defiance all the
laws of calculation, although few of them
seem to return occasionally, according to
predicted time; but when one OF these
erratic wanderers fails to come to time, the
failure is laid to some accident, such as run
ming against q planet, or having its tail
caught on something.
A remarkable comet appeared in the year
ITO, and Lexell predicted that it would re-
turn in five years; but it didn't because 1t
got tangled among the satellites of Jupiter
Another appeared in 1854, which eclipsed
the moon. That was bad for the moon,
since they tell us that we can see small stars
through the comets. A fierce comet made
its appearance in 1856. which spread terror
through all Europe and Asia Astronomers
said it would strike the earth and reduce it
to chaos Still this comet retreated in dis
order
No class OF objects furnish so fruitful a
field for conjecture as comets, and some
theorists work it for all that is In it. Even
our home astronomers, for whom we have
fhn ierh act aY.ft
guess. 1 saw an article in Saturday paper
in reference to the new comet. in which we
are told that it is "hea ding straight for the
earth at the rate of $50 miles a minute and
that it will be here on the 2sth of this month:
that we will come in cont ct with some part
of it. and that it will come closer to us than
solutely certain. What the result will be
can only be guessed, but that it will Ger.
tainly come within 1000 miles of u.s."
Now am entitled to one guess guess
that II it comes within 10. 000 900 miles or MS
that some enterprising Yankee will catch it
and have it on exhibition at Chicago. WHY,
if it moves at that rate it will not reach our
crossing in month; it will require pushing
is not great runner, yet it makes more
than 600 miles minute. If we were going
straight at the comet we might scare the lit
tie fugitive. but we are not. and we will pass
1t out of hailing distance.
There is nothing about the present comet |
to inspire us with that awe that was pro-
comet of 1s43, or that of 1861. These blazed |
forth suddenly without any warning, and |
were so bright that they could be seen in |
daylight. If one OF these had appeared SO |
suddenly in full blaze in the zenith, or at |
any great distance from the sun, such sight |
would indeed be alarming, and science could |
not account for the phenomenon; but such a |
thing can never happen. The sudden ap-'
OF these bodies can only he caused |
by their coming down from the regions be- |
yond the sun, and are; consequently hid in
his rays till they pass their perihelion and |
commence their return to the regions |
whence they came. j. c. Mccormick
ELLSWORTH, Nov. 81.