Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1896-10-22

these comets Is ex-
pected to come pretty close to the earth.
The solar system, in which the earth
holds a part, Is a most interesting
study and those star-tramps, the COM
cts, are perhaps its most extraordinary
feature.
All the planets and satellites and as
terolds move in solemn and stately
grandeur around the sun from the west
to east, keeping always within few
degrees Of the plane Of the Elliptic,
while comets rush wildly from east to
west, or west to east from the north
eastto southwest and from southwest
to northeast, some of them actually
moving in course perpendicular to
the plane Of the Elliptic.
All the other members Of our solar
retinue move in we'll defined orbits,
nicely balanced, that they may neither
fall into nor be driven away from the
sun, while comets make wild, head
long rush for the sun, apparently fall
Ing through billions of miles to reach
that luminary.
They plunge in a vortex heated a
thousand times hotter than melted
iron, and when at last their terrific
speed and consequently centrifugal
force sweep them around the sun, in
stead of into the sun, they rush out
again into their dreary circuit, 1t may
be for five years and 1t may be for 500
years. in the cold ether, so many BILL
lions Of miles away that the suns light
and the suns heat are as the light and
heat Of minute star twinkling in the
milky way.
Sir Isaac Newton at one time serious
ly considered as probable that frag-
meats of comets made the fuel by
which the suns fires are fed. While
this hypothesis is not considered ten
able now, yet there lies no reason to
dispute the occasional loss of comet
by falling into the suns fires.
This view is especially borne out by
the fact that several comets whose Or
bits were known and who should have
been of regular and frequent occur
ence, have failed to keep their engage
ments.
And 1t is not to be expected that
any substance of any kind can continue
to experience the extreme vicissitudes
Of heat and cold and not be gradually
and surely wasted away.
The intensity Of the heat near the
surface Of the sun exceeds the POSSIBLE
ity of our imagination, and the cold
ness of the stellar depths equally
eludes all conception.
It is, therefore, only reasonable to ex-
pect that gradually all known comets
will, in the coming ages, be wasted
away, while wandering here and there
in the wide realms Of space other COM
cts will take their places
The comet in question (the special
one now approaching us) is most prob
ably new one. It's two companions
and itself are reminders of the three
most remarkable comets Of recent
years. These were the comets of 1911,
1843, and 1858.
The comet of 1911 was the finest that,
up to the time of its appearance, had
adorned the heavens since the days
of Newton.
It was noted for its intense bril-
llancy, and was visible to the naked
eye. 1t was comet Of the first class
In point Of magnitude and luminosity
It's brilliant tail at it's greatest elonga-
ton, has an extent Of 1913 million
miles, and breadth Of Is million
miles.
At it's nearest approach to us the
comet was yet distant 141 million
miles, so that had even its tail pointed
in the direction Of the earth, the ex-
tremity Of the tail would have been 10
million miles away from the earth's
surface.
It's appearance was dazzlingly bril-
liant in the evening sky, and for three
months the celestial novelty was an
object Of the greatest admiration.
But the comet OF 1S43 is regarded
as the most marvellous Of the present
age. So luminous was this comet that
it was observed in the daytime, even
before it was visible at night. 1t
startled the world by appearing in the
spring, in the western heavens, like a
streak of aurora streaming from the
region of the sun below the constella-
ton of Orion. 1t was comet Of the
biggest class.
The nearest approach Of its head to
the earth was about S0,000000 miles.
The absolute diameter of the nebulosity
surrounding the head was about $4,000
miles. The length Of its tail was pro-
digious. On the 9th of February 1t
was 10S million miles in length. The
stars were plainly visible through its
tail
It is certain that the comet almost
grazed the sun; perhaps some portion
of it's nebulosity may have come into
direct collision with it. The heat 1t re-
ceived, according to the computation
of Sir Jobn Herschel, must have been
$4,000 tiNes that received by the
earth from vertical sun. Such a tenn
peraturs would have converted into va
pLr almost every substance on the
/ 4.