Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-05-04

 and comets threatening from above, surely these are days of uncertainty and anxiety for the inhabitants of this mundane sphere. Astronomical calcu- lation tells us that four big comets are headed for the earth, coming with that awful speed which only those cratic tramps of the heavens can attain. Three are due this year, and the fourth, which is the one which is causing the greatest speculation, will come into view in 1910. This last is known as Halley's comet. At present 1t is not far from the orbit of Jupiter. and by the time the year has waned 1t will be speeding through the belt of the asteroids-a group of miniature planets revolving in orbits just out side of that of Mars.
 Assuming that the gigantic star-like nucleus and its mighty nebulous tail succeed in passing without disaster through this maze of little worlds none of which is more than 100 miles in diameter-it will cut across the orbit of Mars and touch upon that of the earth. That the comet will not come in contact with one or more of these planetcids is not at all an as sured fact. but this does not concern us nearly as much as the possibility of it's coming into collision with the earth.
 
 When the 5right-tailed orb is near est the sun 1t will be many millions of miles inside the earth's orbit, and hence there will be two occasions when it anG the earth might meet, namely, when the former passes into and out of the latter's path. If such celestial collision should take place, the comet would probably be burned up in the earth's atmosphere, and the earth be still left intact, though the blinding light and intense heat would destroy all life on that side of the world.
 Olbers, German astronomer living in the interval between 175S and 1S40, pointed out that Biela's comet would, in 1892, pass within 20,00o miles of the earth's orbit, though the earth would not reach the same point until a onth later. While astronomers saw no danger, a great many people who feared the verity of the deductions looked forward to the time with con. siderable apprehension. They were greatly relieved, however, for as pre- dicted the comet came on the day the mathematicians named, and all danger had passed.
 Halley's comet, which is now ap- preaching, is of extraordinary inter- est It was the first to be suspected of returning periodically. as we'll as the first whose period of revolution was calculated.
 It will be its thirteenth visit which the comet will make three years hence, put who can tell what scene it will look down upon? Many authori- ties believe 1t will come very close 10 the earth. though 1t may not be as brilliant or as conspicuous as in it's earlier returns. Arago suggested that comets in traversing their gigantic orbits might throw of into space nearly all the matter of which they were composed when at a point near
 the sun.
 snder these conditions. then. 1t is svident that some Of the more at- --nuated ones may, in the course of time. pass entirely out of existence. though they may. on the other hand. attract particles floating in space along their paths and so equalize their losses This would account for the varying intensity of the same comet. as for instance. HalIey's. However .his may be. it must be --v-mherei ssat appearances of com-- aa the szsly days were much more nlystcri- ous. and approximately impressive. .-aa in the more enlightened ages and .lat the extraordinary brilHancy re essde-. la syrae ss stances vs=. ----s7 likely. due more to Imagination than to the actual state Of the comet
 When the great comet comes on the scene in 1910. its uucIezs or beard viii appear ike a star of the first magnitude. but having a mighty tail tfaiiins after it and rc5nrfns away from the szn Different from ulauy