The Columbus weekly dispatch., 1908-11-05

When the comet appeared in 1885
it had a long tail until it disappear
ed behind the sun. When it came
out into view again on the other side
| of the sun, its tail was gone and only
the head was seen.
A remarkable thing about this
comet as seen in 1885 was that it's
nucleus or head emitted jet of some
mysterious substance like the erup-
ton of smoke and gases from vol
cano. Astronomers could not tell
what caused it. 1t went sailing
around the sun, spouting like a
smokestack.
This comet is the most famous one
known, for two reasons. One is that
its regular appearance every seventy
five years has been traced back to
the year / 2 B. G.. The second reason
is that the return of this comet in
1853 tested for the first time the
application of the theory that it was
the gravitation of the sun which con-
trolled the comets.
1t was the great astronomer Hal
ley who first conceived the idea that
the comets move in regular orbits
around the sun. He saw the comet
in 1852, and in comparing it with
others that had come before he found
that it was exactly like those of 1907
IL 4 l.s L
that they were the same and he pre- j
dicted that it would return again in
1859. He was not alive to see it,
but upon the appointed day the
comet came, and the scientists nam
it ''Halley's comet
Since then the appearance Of this |
comet has been traced back to twelve /
years before Christ was born. For |
many years the astronomers could |
trace it back only to 1856, but by |
the records OF the Chinese /
they found it's appear
ance recorded each seventy-five years
back to twelve years before Christ. |
Since then records of the appear /
aRce of this comet have been found,
one in 684, as pictured in the Chron-
IcIe of Nurem berg and again in 1865,
as preserved in the Bayeuz tapestry.
This composition of comets is yet
a matter of speculation. No one |
knows of what they are made. Some
say they are masses of loose stone,
trb< 1xy, or |
each other in their general fight
head is a molten mass, and that the
luminous tail is composed of the
gases given off by the head and oar
ried in a gorgeous train. There are
many other theories.
Guillenmin, the great French as
.ronomer, says Of the composition
,f comets: Whether it be an incan-
descent liquid or solid, or only solid
natter rejecting the light of the
Jun, quite eludes our research: nor
10 we know anything of the chemical
elements of which it is composed"
Is it possible that the earth might
,ome in collision with a comet? This
question has been asked many times
lnd astronomers have admitted that
t is possible but they differ as to
he consequences. In ITO a comet
passed on the same day as the earth
through a point only 10000 miles
Instant from the spot occupied by
,ur globe five hours later. That is
getting pretty close to a comet.
great astronomer has said that
with their variety of movements 1t
S clearly possible for a comet to en-
counter some planet, or even our
earth, upon its way; and it cannot
De doubted but that terrible results
would ensue."
Some astronomers have connect
1red that at some time comet pass
ng near to the earth would annex 1t
ind carry us off with 1t, and thus we
would be roasted when close to the
'un and frozen when at the point In
Is orbit furtherest from the sun
others have admitted the possibility
hat comet might pick up our moon