The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-03-05
LOOK OUT FOR THE COMET
Per";nee Discovery Seeme 10 be Coming
Sralht Towards tho Earth s-Ns

Porrino's comet ia advancing toward
tho earth at the prodigious pace Of
100000 miles day and unless IL
changes 1T course 1t may hit the earth
| some time during. Saturday, March
IL. Professor Lenschucr, Of the State
University OF California, has just com.
pletcd his calculations Of tho orbit of
tho new comet, which was discovered
by Astronomer Porrine, Of tho Lick
University. His calculation convince
him that tho comet will take now
the earth. II, however, the professor
has mado mistake OF u millionth part
of unit In his iguros tho comet may
strike us.
Professor Pickering, of the Harvard
Observatory, was seon by Sun ro-
porter and asked II it were possible for
tho comet and the earth to meet in
collision. His reply was that such
Thing was certainly possible. "Co-
NETS" he said, have no special rela"
tlon to the earth, and If tho earth hap
pened to be in tho path Of one it would
OF course be struck. | am not prepared
to say what would happen. No ono
knows. You see we havo no record OF
any such experience. The only man
who darcs to say much on the subject
is Professor G. A. Young, Of Princeton,
and LII give you his opinion on tho
SUBJECT, because he has given that line
moro attention than / havc.
| Professor YOung's opinion IL that
| that Is, 1t iY q swarm OF solid particles
or unknown size and widely separate,
say pin heads, several hundred feet
| apart, each particle carrying with 1t
an envelope OF gas largely hydrocarbon,
! In which gaslight Ia produced, other
by electrical discharges betwecn tho
particles or by somo other light, the
evolving action duo to tho suns in
lluencc: This hypothesis derives Its
chief plausibility from the modern dis
covery OF tho close relationship be-
tween metcors and comets.
"Professor. Young says that comets
may hurt US in two ways, oithcr by
actually striking the Garth, or by fall
ing into tho sun, and thus producing
such an increase OF solar heat rs to
burn us up"
In regard to tho possibility OF q col
lision with n comet, Professor Picker
ing said that 1t was to bc admitted
that such an event was possible. In
fact" he continued, "if the earth lasts
long enough such thing is practically
suro to happen, for there arc several
comets orbits which pass near to tho
carth's orbit, than the scmi-diamctcr
Of tho comets head, and at some timo
tho earth and comet will certainly
como together. Such encounters will,
however, be rare. II wo accept the
estimate OF Bubinot they will occur
once in fifteen millions Of years in tho
long run"
AS to tho consequence OF such a col
lision, Professor Pickering said it was
impossible 10 estimate for want OF
sure knowledge of the state OF aggre-
CATION OF tho matter composing q
comet. II wo accept the modern tho
ory," he said, land il this theory be
true, everything depends on the size
OF tho separate solid PARTICLES which
form the main part OF the comets mass.
II they woigh tons the bonbardment
would be very serious, but II, as seems
moro likoly, tho particles arc smaller
simply grand metcoric shower.
! "Now," continued tho professor,
| although the possibility Of that comet
striking the earth Is roal, still the
probability is not SO great. So far as
wo know the probability Is not much
groatcr than that OF somc 9th or comets
striking us. At tho Harvard Observa-
tory here VIC have not yot had the three
good observations which arc required
befor WI can make any computation.
! This Is for tho reason that so many
| other obsorvatories arc watching
comets that wc devote our time to
things which they cannot do SO woll as
We can. OF course, IL the timo comes
when We arc in o position where our
observations will count for much we
shall devote our energies to thcm."-
Now York Sun.