Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1907-06-06

~ III fAAhilCA NOlllClO WulGu dIG Ahil- |
less. the one named for HALEY is |
formed Of three distinct parts, namely
the nucleus, coma and tail The
nucleus is the concentrated part and |
shines by the reflected light of the
sun, while the tail gives out a light of
its own, due chiefly to the glowing
carbon vapor which is not unlike that
of an ordinary gas jet.
Though shining as brightly as Jup-
tier, and sometimes visible even in the
daytime, the comet is very light in
weight, being not more than one one
millionth as heavy as the planet
named. That this is true is known
from the slight attraction it exerts
on the plents, while the latter fire.
quently pull the comet out of it's
course. The tail is so flimsy that
should it brush the earth it would
hardly be noticeable.
When Halleys comet is first seen
by the comet seekers as it rushes
headlong toward the sun. it will ap-
pear like a round, dim ball of hazy
light AS it comes nearer the earth,
its tail will gradually appear and
lengthen. 1t may increase or decrease
from night to night, varying from 25
to $4,000 miles in "a hours, though
should it do this, it you'd be an ex-
ception rather than the rule. AS the
great celestial messenger swings
round the sun, it's tail will apparently
grow smaller, and finally disappear,
the ball Of hazy light alone being left
to tell of its flight to Neptune. After
a little this will be gone to be seen
no more until the year 1885.
The composition of comets inter
estel men even before their periods
were calculated, and Halley's will be
examined as 1t never was before, for
we have instruments now that were
unknown when it was visible in 1885.
The spectroscope has shown what
other and smaller comets were made
Of The nucleus is a solid mass
formed of different substances, and
this is an envelope of dense gaseous
matter that is. in perpetual motion
This portion is called the coma, and
to its activity is probably due the
tail, attracting and repelling the
gaseous particles of waste material.
The effect of the sun on the nucleus
is to draw it to it, but at the same
time 1t has an evident tendency to
repel the TAIL and thus it is that the
tail always stands out and away from
the sun. The terrific velocity of the
nucleus when a comet whirls round
the sun shows plainly that its tail
is not an integral part of the main
body, for, If II was. the centrifugal
force to which its extreme end is sub
jected would throw 1t off onto space.
The tail of Halleys comet when
previously observed curved toward
the rear something like a sword and
indicating that the particles compos-
ing it as they pass outward move at
the same slow rate at the interior
particles and, in consequence, are left
behind.
There are many small periodic COM
cts that have been discovered In re-
cent years, but Halley's is the only
great comet that appears at regular
intervals and its periodic visits is al
ways assured of an interested and de-
lighted throng of observers for there
are few indeed who can say they
ever saw It before.
In spite of the comforting assur-
ance of astronomers that the APP
preaching comet will be harmless. so
far as its general effects upon the
earth are concerned, and providing,
Of course, that the comet ever
reaches us. Nine de Thebes, the
Mother Shipton of Paris, has predict
ed that the comet is going to make
great deal of trouble for the earth.
Nine. de Thebes predicted the Boer
war, the great Charity Bazaar fire in
Paris, the Servian massacre, the San
Francisco and Kingston disasters and
the discovery of radium