Los Angeles herald., 1909-12-05

Copyright by Co. All Rights Reserved
~ NCE more Halley'S famous comet has been
Y \ the lerles Observatory by Professor L. Z.
~ Barnard exactly month from the time he
obtained his first glimpse of the celestial wan
dcrer after its absence OF seyeuty-four years His
observations were made October II and 49, but
apparently the comet is gaining in brillancy for it
was also observed on the morning of October II by
Professor Wendell. of the Harvard Observatory with
the 15-tnch equatorial and by l. Campbell with the
24inch reflector Of the observatory. II will
doubtless soon come within range Of smaller ele
scopes and be visible to the unaded eye in the spring
As the comet draws nearer to the earth vague
feeling of alarm may be fclt 10y those who regard
these celestial visilants with supcrstlous awe For
them mystery stul clngs around
The blazing star.
Thrcatning the world with famine, plague and war;
To princes death; 20 Kingdoms many curses;
To all estates Inevitable losses;
To herdsmen rot to pIougnmcn hapcsS seasons:
To sailors storms; to cities civil trcasous"
The comet Of 1oGG, one Of The earlier returns Of
Haleys. comet, was regarded rs a presaco of the
downfall of Harold of England at the battle Of
Hastings In The BayeuX tapestry which Matilda
of Flanders had drawn all the most nemoI;lble
episodes in the cyentfu career Of her husband Will
lam the Conqueror the comet appears i'm one of the
corners with the inscription 'lsti lIrautur Stellaul9
which proves that it was considered Il ynritlhIe
marvel 1t is said to be tradilionaIy reported
that one Of the Jewels of the British crown was taken
from the tail of this comet.
Although comets are no longer regarded with
snperstitiouS awe in oldcn times yet they are ant
to cause unnecessary alarm For instance, even in
our present enlightened day letter WAS recently
inserted in the Observatory addressed a, tAc editor
by an alarmed Britishcr, who feared the uresent
appearance of Hallcy's comet might bo am ul omen
in connection with the possible invasion of England
by the Germans, Some alarm las also been aroused
by the statement that in all probability the earth will
pass through the train Of the comet on tine morning
Of May 10, l90, and that that occasion the hcad
of the comet Will be about only 12,OOO0o0 or Is 600.
900 miles distant
Swept by Star Dust.
According to the calculations Of Frank +. Seagrave
an astronomer of Providence, r. l. he finds bv CON-
putatons rs dclcute rrigonometry and the nicrom
eter can make them, that on May 10 the comet viii
cross the plane of the carth's path 1t is likely thnt
the earth will be enyeopcd in the train Of the comet
and for short period our planet may be swept by
star dust
There need hr mo scare over the approaching
event, however, AIR. S"ogrrve rcassures us. Moth.
ng viii happen The end of the world will not come
It will be nothing more than we passed through on
Iune so lsG1 when the earth cut through the comet
IF that yepr The 1t could ever come to the
earth would be G2&5O0o miles"
Regarding the actual experience concerning the
omet Of 1861, Sir Robert $ Bail rccounts it as fol-
ows In his usual entertaining way:-
In the year 1881 fine comet appeared 1t is not 5
20 wei remembered as It's merits deserve because ii {
happened, unfortunately for its own renown to ap-
ear Just three years after the celebrated comet OF =
S58 which was one OF the most gorgeous Of it's kind
modern times, But in 1861 we had a novel expert b
nee.
"On Sunday evening in midsummer Of that year "
We dashed into the comet or rather it dashed into II
s We were not, it is true in collision with its Fl
ensest part; it was only the end Of the tail which
e encountered. There We're, fortunately no very n
sastrous consequences. Indeed most of us never