The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1909-09-02
HALLEY's COMET.
Will Be Visible Here the Latter
Part of the Year.

Everywhere in the world the star
gazers and the laity are beginning to
take interest in Halley's comet, which
pays US q call every rs or 76 years, and
which is again in sight Of good teles-
copes and will be visible to the naked
eye right here at home in few months,
and will remain with us almost until
spring, \ flaming sign in the heavens.
The Bloomington Paragraph had the
following concerning this cratic
traveller in space:
Within few months the people of
this part of tho world are going to be
allowed to see something in the nature
OF a comet in the heavens that has not
been seen by man for the past seventy
five years. or course there are many
comets in the heavens, but most of
them are 80 small as to be invisible to
the naked eye and present only small
image when observed through one Of
the mighty telescopes at our astronom-
ical observatories. The particular
comet which will b. seen in this part
of the world tx fall is known as
Halley's CONT. 1t is the most famous
of this sort Of heavenly bodies known
in history. 1t will be first sighted by
the telescopes sometime within the
next two months and will be visible to
the naked eye during the first part Of
next year. 1t is one Of the brightest
comets known to man and upon several
| previous appearances has caused panic
among the heather people of the globe.
| When it appears visible to the naked
eye it will have the appearance of
great ball of fire and will have flying
after it in it's rapid trip through the
heavens a long tail of light caused from
the numerous rare gases which are re-
PEELED by the sun and driven off the
body of the comet. 1t will remain Wis
ible during the entire next spring, and
as it is probably the only chance in a
life time to see such body in the sky
much interest will no doubt be taken
in it.
This particular comet was first seen
in 43 B. c., one year after the assassi-
nation of julius Caesar. At that time
it was thought by the people who saw
it to be the spirit of Caesar returning
to the earth in tho form of ire to take
vengeance upon the earth. 1T created
great panic among many of the races
inhabiting the earth at that time. It's
next recorded visible appearance was
in 800 A. D., and after that it appeared
the years $50, GS4, $50, 1866, 1880, 1901,
1873, 1855, 1881 and 1907, when HALEY
took possession of it and began to
watch its movements. At that time he
predicted it's return in 1857, and in that
year it appeared in all of its splendor.
1t was last seen in the year 1885, and
since that time many of the astrono-
mers have computed the time when it
should return. They have all decided
that it will again illuminate the earth
the latter part Of this year and many
Of them are making special preparation
to observe it.
The last bright comet which cane in
to mans range of vision in the heavens
was in 1882. During that year one ap.
peared and caused much study and OBJ
servation among the star gazers
Halley's comet, however, is predicted
to be much brighter and to move across
the sky much slower, thus giving
every body chance to see it. Many
calculations are now being made as to
when the comet will appear in the
United States. II it appears during the
night this country will be illuminated
every night during it's stay in The
heavens. If it appears in the day time
it will be visible and noticeable bu
will not present such a beautiful ap
pearance in the heavens.