The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1894-11-30
ENCKEs COMET.
Fncts Concerning Curious Little
Sky wanderer.
oo.ersatlona OF Early Astronomers
Hrerress Through space IL linz
peied-lt May Finally ran
into the sun,

Into The sun,
tke's comet, which has Just
oeea discovered ON It's return by the
Italian astronomer Cerulli, who has
private observatory in the south
eFn portion Of the Kingdom, is one
81 lbe Best known Of the Jupiter
Dcolp Of comets. This group, so
far as known, consists Of nineteen
objects, allof which are members OF
OUT solar system and are revolving
about cur sun in orbits from three
amp one halt years to about double
thAt tine The group is so.called
BECAUSE thcre Is every reason to be.
lie9e these wanderers were inter-
celbled in their path through space
blythe giant planet Jupiter, and per-
tunbed into orbits about the sun,
th4 distunt end % which lies in the
neighborhood 81 the orbit OF this
planet
Hncke's comet is the most noted of
THY group, having been known to
astronomers for upwards of cen.
tuily and having been sufficiently
wet observed to conform very
cIcbely to its computed path. 1t
waF first seen by Mechain, OF Paris,
oul january IL, 1856, and was again
aidcoyered by Miss Caroline Her
sclAel ~ November, 1895, and after
Jew days by other astronomers.
II lwns again observed in 1905, but
nohe q the astronomers at the time
knkw Of the identity of the objects
vii Feb they saw. In the winter OF
iS49-lg twas visiblefor some seven
wehks, and Encke busted himself
with the computation of its orbit.
In p remarkably short time he had
hisI computation finished aud was
ab to show that 1t was moving in
All orbit OF three and one-t third
ye rs period, that the comets above
en- fmerated were identified with it,
anf that il had approached the sun.
eighteen times in the intervals, un-I
ob8eryed,
lfncte next computed the time Of
itsireturn, announcing this date as
Mia q, 1892, having been delayed
on( The way some nine days by the at.
tralction of Jupiter, and, according
to hhis time table, the object was
agl,in observed on its return. This
computation of Encke's was a most
rejnarkable one, involving as II did
solne Of the most intricate and la
bofious problems known to the az
trdnomers Of the time. 'f
lkpcke himself very early sus.
pedted that there was some cause
Of disturbance in the motion Of the
cosklet, Tor despite his calculations
it completed its orbit In some two
- .one.ha!f hours less than the
60 This dIacrep boy.
small Us easily discerned
by astronomers, and continuation
OF the shortening Of the orbit d the
comet is now noticeable, The ex-
PLANTATION Of it is quite a problem to
astronomers, butitis thought to be
proof of the existence OF resist
ing medium pervading space, the
friction OF which retards light bodies
which move through 1t. The ques-
tions which depends upon this as
sumption are some Of them quite in
teresting, for IL is evident that II
this diminution should continue
sufficiently long, and the course Of
the comet be not too much disturbed
Thy the attraction Of the planets, the
comet will eventually fall into the
sun.
The comet has been of quite lit
tile service to astronomers in the
Consideration Of the mass OF attrac-
tive force of the planet Mercury.
This planet, having no satellite
known to US, has not been accurate
Fly weighed, or at least not Us com
pared with the other planets OF our
system. In 1888, however, this
comet approached sufficiently near
to the planet to be affected by its
attraction, aud from the facts here
observed astronomers have been
able to define their knowledge of the
mass Of Mercury:
Hncke's comet is modest little
object; always Of the greatest in
terest to astronomers possessing
moderate instrumental means, pre-
'senting as 1t does many rather re-
Variable features as to its tail and
the distribution Of its light. 1t is
moving through space completing
its orbit time after time, almost
with the regularity of train on
meteorological railway. and on its
successive returns it may be found
always within the field of a telescope
directed to its computed place,
continual tribute to the accuracy
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