Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1892-11-24
SEVERAL TIMES LARGER THAN THE
NOON.
Rfela'G Periodic Comet CominG-Within
Two Weeks it viii be Visible to the
Naked Eve,

Bfpla's Periodic Comet CominG-Within
Two Weeks it will be Visible to the
Naked Eve,
Astronomers find from calculations that
the comet Andromela, discovered 10y Holmes
on the 9th inst, very probably identical
with Bela's periodic comet, which has not
been recognized since lSj2. Prof. Boss Of
Albany " y, thinks there is likely
10 be Il very close approach between
the comet ana tue earth On the
morning Of the 18th inst, IN Gaze the sup
uoscd identity between the comets of Holmes
and Bieia proves to he q feet The diameter
Of the neDuosity is about one seventh of
degree. There il vcil-marked though
faint central condemnation, but no appear
ance of Il solid nucleus. Assuming, as re
suits from the calculations, that, on that
night the comet was -, 500, 600 miles dis
taEt from the earth, the diameter of the
outside nehulosty Of the comet would be
about &c. 600 miles. 1t is probable that the
comet will rapidly grow in brightness, and
that within two weeks it will appear many
times larger than the full moon.
The comet can now be seen in small tele-
scopes, aud will be found about two degrees
west of Mu Andromeda.
a few historical facts the concerning
B!ea comet wiz doubtless be of interest
to the readers OF the FREE PRESS.
Blela's was small comet Of &C years
perod-e small oue-and remarkable for
being the "double' comet. 1t vas dscov
cred IN 1926 by an Austrian officer, whose
name Ii bears. It's periodic character was
first detected by Gambart. Its orbit
brought it within l. very few thousand miles
of the earth how near varied with the
changes in that orbit. The comet returned
in 1882. Then was reported that an en-
counter with the earth would take place, n
report which created something hardly short
OF II pane in the South of France, the first of
the since numerous comet scares. -
it passed the point where the expected
collision was to have occurred month be-
fore the earth arrived, however, and the
nearest the two objects came to each other
wac Is million miles. In 1889 it was not
seen In 1S46 two comets were seen to
grow from one, the first recorded instance
of the kind. November 20 Bia.a's comet
appeared, and on December 10 it was OBJ
served to be rather pear-.huped Ten days
| later it had divided.
The first discovery of the division was
made in New Haven. Later the phenomenon
was recorded in Washington aud some days
! later European astronomers found ont what
| had taken place. For four months the pair
Travelled along side by side, l50, 900 mics
apart Sometimes one was brighter than
the others There was faint arc Of light
part OF the time between tine two. In
August, 1862, the twain were seen for the
last m, H. O00, 600 miles from the earth,
But on the night Of Nov. %, 1872 there
was a wonderful meteoric shower. Novem-
Ter 1856, there was another. So it was
concluded that the Biela comet wa, no more,
aud that meteors Of the Beld swarm were
passing through the sky IN their flight from
point in the constellation Andromela,
| They were called Andromodas. Their mo-
tion was parallel to tie path Of the comet
where its path interseCted that OF the earth.
Biela's comet has now b. en- missing five
times-more than once under favorable con
ditions OF visibility. 1t Is once more the
recurrence of its tlme-and perhaps it has
blazed up again-for the final time lit il
fires in honor Of the Columbian period.