New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-27
WINNECKE'S COMET.
ITS REArrEARANCE WAS ACCURATELY PRE-
TICTED BY ASTRONOMERS

IFS Hl-NlttAi'AN'i WAS Az i'-'li-A|i ii'i>-
TIcTED ny ASTRONOMERS.
From The Seattle Post-Intclligcnccr.
The -Winnccke comet which picked
up by Perrine recently at the Lick Observatory,
is the first list Of five short-pcrlod comets
which are expected to return to Visibility ms
year The comet was on time. More than this, it
was discovered within half dcgree-aDout one
diameter Of the moon--of the point indicated Tor
1t in The search cphemeris Cts itinerary prepared
for il in ADVANCED q fact which well Illustrates
how thoroughly in hand astronomers nave the
movements Of these fairylike bodies which circle
round the sun, like 50 many Parcels OF thlstIe-
down. and are really, despite the tcrror5 which
some Of the large members Of the order nave
inspired, not much more substantial.
When first seen the comet was III the western
part Of Ophiuchus. moving in an eASt-s2uth-
castcrIy direction. It was very difficult OBJECT
for even the 36-ineh Lick telescope. 1t Is ap-
proachng however, and is growing brighter It's
present position is near the head Of Capricorn
which now rises soon after a. m. The comet
will make is pcrihciOn passage March 81, pass
ing then very nearly between us ana the SUM-
and Of course, being unohsorvan'e.
This comet Was first discovered by fons IN
1919 and was assigned a period Of 5.GlN years
bv Encke but it WAS not seen on any suhsc-
qucnt return until lS'N' when it was accidehtaIiy
rediscovered by Winncckc. Hence its double
name. It's period is now known 10 be a trliie
under five years and nine months Wheh a. us
greatest distance from the sun IL is about thfV
million miles outside OF the ornit OF Juptltl'
when nearest the sun il is some ten million miles
within the earth's orbit 1t passes under ana
over this orbit however, so that there IS no FISK
Of n collision
What is the comet? Simply a shoal OF meteor
ties Astronomers are now pretty generaHE
agreed that such is the nature Of comet. now
ever difficult they find the explanation OF some
Of the appearances presented by these OBJECTS
particularly the tails which are thrown out ny
the larger comets. though usually wholly want
inE in the small fry. These appendagts nave
the appearance Of being electrical in their cause
though exactly how is not known. The glow or
the nucleus Of the comet and the fainter menu
lous light Of the envcloping coma are attrlp-
utcd to heat cngendered 10y the collisions OF the
mcteOritcs which are supposed to he IN state
Of commotiOn and to be continually dashlhS
against one another. The Spcctroscoplc dhdI! SIS
Of the light emitted by comets and the close con-
ncction which is now known TO exist between
comets and the ordinary meteors which enter
ing our atmosphere. give rise to the fdniiar
shooting stars" both support this view OF the
nature ~ comets. They are not massive bodies
and should the earth encounter one OF theul' as
NAV easily happen the result would probably pc
nothing more serious than magnificent display
Of shooting stars. -.
The next comet on the programme Tor TINS
wear is Enckc's 1t mag now be looked Tor any
DAY,