The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-03-10

the year l,5o0.ooi. 500. Some ancient his
tories go back a few thousand years.
but none of them attempt TO cover the
period when the last comet hit the earth.
So the people of this generation are 40
solutely without any precedent as TO how
they shall act when the comet comes
booming along. What 10 do and how TO
do IT, must he formulated by the indi-.
vidual lot Of humanity at the critical
time.
The exact hour Of the day on which
the comet is TO crash into us has not
yet been determined, for the reason that
II y travelling toward us at the rate of
l.'oc"w miles a day. This means IL is
lying through space at the rate of 1900
miles an hour. or 200 miles minute. or
twenty miles q second Under these
conditions 1t is quite impossible for even
the most learned scientists TO determine
the exact hour of its arrival
COILS AROUND OBJECTS.
For the same reason no one knows
whether II Will first hit as in Africa. Eu-
rope, Asia, or America. but that does
not matter much because comets have a
habit Of coiling around anything they hit.
like big boa constructor. encircles its
victim The comet keeps on coling and
coiling until it's hundreds of millions of
miles of length are all wrapped around
whatever ii hits.
Prof. Perrine. Of the famous Lick Uni
Nersity Is responsible for this comet
that is he discovered IT, and IL will 20
down To posterity. If il does not annihi-
late all chance OF there being any poster
ity, as Perrine's comet Since Prof Per
rine made the discovery astronomers i'm
all parts of the world have been i'm a
feverish state OF excitement $. w Burn
ham. Of the Lick Observatory famous
as the greatest observer and discOverer
OF double stars ,hat the world has vet
known. Is excited. SO is y. =. Barnard.
The renowned discoVerer Of the nth
satellite Of Jupiter and of innumerable
comets. and whose planetary observations
and photographs of nebulae and stars
are OF unrivaled excellence. The same
can Toe said OF j. 4. Keller who stands
al the front IN astronomical spectros-
copy.
1t is not often that the mental balance
OF these weighty scientists is moved suf-
hciently 10 allow OF the emotion of cx-
element, but at this time 70 is neverthe-
less true. OF course all these men differ
as to what viii happen when the comet |
hits ms. some of Them are kind enough (
10 say that there is a possibility of the !
comet steering away. and not hitting us &
NJ all, or. II 30 does. h will only Doe "a /
glancinG blow. which may shake us a Bit /
bat do no serious damage
MIGHT FALL INTO THE Sun.
But there is stin another danger. even /
" IL does not biz us. and IN is more un-
ncrNing 10 contemplate IL than the ORR
sinal. Prof. c. A. Young. of Princeton,
Is well informed on comets. and ne AYERS ;
that there is some danger Of the Pcrrine
comet slipping by us. and falling into che
sun. This would De a real catastrophe for
I'll learned astronomers acknowledge that
II comet fen into the sun II would pro-
lnce such an Increase Of solar heat that
We would all be broilcd or frizzlod on
fried up With this danger staring the
world IN the face IL seems that if the
matter were left % q popular vote ~ The
neople OF the earth fhoy would elect 10
rave the comet hit as and take tho attend
M chances. rather than have IL fall into
the sun eDd burn us up.
Other astronomers. who wish evidently
10 reassure the public claim that in 1861
J comet several times larger than the
re now heading for as hit the earth
yhl'o travelling az the rate OF 10000 e0O0l
nile a day. onG nobody knew IT, How
hey discovered 90 $50 many years after.
hey refuse % make plain. But III these
astronomers are telling the truth Ii places
he other astronomers. who SAY that
cmct only hits us once I'm fifteen hundred
million years. IN an awkward position.
Yearly either one set OF astronomers or
ne othN Is making a terrible blnnNer.
Few people have a clear idea as TO ,
that comet really IS. and for their
cneft the opinion Of Prof YOUNG is set y
orth p follows. a comet is nothng c
ut sane hank that IS. "a g. q swarm {
solid PARTICLES OF unknown size and a
ifcly separate. say pin-hcads. several =
undrcd feet apart each particle carrying {
'ith II an envelope OF gas. largely hydro 4
srbon. In which Gas-light Is produced. d
ther by electrical discharges between q
he particles or by some other light the 4
rolying action due 20 the suns influence h
his hypothesis derives its chief plausi- ii
ll;y from tho modern discovery Of the Il
ose relationship between mete0rs and u
,mets"
Anothc~ astronomer on the subject Of
10 makeup OF comets says:
1T Is not solid body like the earth
Is made up OF minute bodies We "
light compare n with dust cloud 4,
lille In size n compares with the earth q
ere is no comparison In the solidity OF
. two. So far as We have been able TO III