Rocky Ford enterprise., 1895-05-09

Accounts of Its Previous Rsappearancss
Solar system Much Disturbed.
VIII the star of Bethlehem, which
guided the "wise men" of the Bible. ap-
pear during the closing years Of this
century? There are many astronomers
who confidently predict its reappear-
ance and the recent disturbances in the
heavily bodies have encouraged some
to believe that great astronomical phe-
nomenon is approaching. According
to the calculations of the past the star
should appear some time between 1880
and 1895. and the present year being
the last of the time set for 1t there Ii
considerable anxiety displayed by
those interested in the question. In
the year 1872 the star appeared the last
time. and of its appearance then we
have the most trustworthy account.
"One evening as l was watching the
heavens in my accustomed manner,
Tycho Brahe writes, IT saw. to my
great establishment, In the constella-
tion of Cassiopeia . brilliant star Of
unusual clearness" A few nights be-
fore this the author astronomer. Cor
nelius Comma, saw the star and called
1t the new Venus" Both men thought
that this wonderfully brilliant phe-
nomenon of the heavens was the old
star Of Bethlehem, and its appearance
appearance in 1864, 946, $50. and 316.
In 1854 the Bohemian astronomer and
astrologer. Cyprian Lowitz, gives an
account Of the appearance in the heav-
ems Of q wonderfully attractive star
that had not been there before. In his
accounts we have similar descriptions
Of the strange visitor, appearing sud-
denly and moving gradually away until
finally swallowed up in space. To him
also We are indebted for an account Of
the same star which appeared in s45,
when the heavens seemed to be lighted
up by this strange heavenly phenom-
enon. The Chinese chroniclers. who
watched the heavens with great care.
also mention the appearance Of q
comet or new heavenly body, which
they thought meant disaster to their
crops. It did not bring any i'll luck
to the country and the common people
then attributed its appearance to their
good gods and they rejoiced that the
"one-eyed" was looking down upon
them.
There have been altogether twenty
SIX historical accounts Of the appear
ance Of strange new stars in the
heavens. Many astronomers reason
from this that should an unusually
brilliant star appear this year it would
not indicate that it was the old star Of
Bethlehem. They say that the wise
men simply saw Venus at the time Of
its great splendor. Others assume that
the star was occasioned by the con-
junction of planets or that 1t was a
comet. In 1896 the German astrono-
mer 1deler suggested that the star was
q conjunction Of planets and Encke re-
peated 1t in 1881. To support their
theory they show that there was con-
junction Of Jupiter. Mars, and Saturn
in September Of the year B. c.
During the last year unusual dis
turbances and appearances in the heav-
emily bodies have been noted by sci
entists. as If they were somewhat af-
fected by the attractive force of an
other body not regularly acting upon
them. More meteoric showers have
been reported in the southern part Of
the world than usual and storms Of
great destructiveness have swept over
the whole globe. The coldness of the
present winter is attributed by astron-
omers to the influence Of the planets,
and whenever comet has approached
the earth in the past unusual weather
has prevailed beforehand, as II to an
nounce its coming. Moreover, the
powerful telescopes now used for scan
ming the heavens reveal an unusual
number Of eclipses, as II the disturb
ance had caused some Of the lesser
bodies to travel little out of their
courses. The wonderful variable star
Algol In Peresus. for instance. has con-
stantly of late undergone great
changes. A dark body almost as large
as Algol has several times blotted out
its existence from our view. The ap-
pearance of this huge black object is q
mystery to astronomers today. Their
the SHOWS of Mars, which have 30 long
been visible to powerful telescopes
have gradually disappeared. Early
last October 1t was reported that th&
polar snow cap Of Mars had entirely
disappeared. No such rapid and un.
explained disappearance Of the snow
on the earth or on Mars has ever befor,
been reported. Jupiter in its recen,
Appearances has been more Brilliant,
belted than ever before, and as 1t rises
It displays an unwonted profusion ol
color. Venus has been shrouded IL
more or less showers of meteors X
that its face could not be seen distinct
ly, but when the atmosphere did for .
short time clear up It shone with un
usual brilliancy. Its brightness in tn,
last few months has attracted cousid
cradle attention even among those wht
are not expert "sky gaxers." All o
these facts, taken in conjunction with
the changing condition of the weather
upon the earth, have led many to pre-
dict the APPROACH Of something unusua
| in the solar svstem. This object vii