The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1909-09-22
HAlLEWS COMET IS
HEADED EARTHWARD
is STILL 10000. 900 MILES AWAY
But IS TRAVELLING 10000
MILES An HOUR.

startled .h. world 1y i.s aerial ,.ou
Hou. i- again headed Obi, 0ay. j.
was ..a ll.. aeas by prof Wo'n o,
H,Id,luu.g University Hadomurg
Germany
Although travelling %. % rate which
would make the fastest express train
loDk a- if % we're anchored there is
NOT much danger Of the comet striking
The earth just yet According 20 cal.
ruia'o1s. t. s sim more than 200
600 600 miles away Conservative o..
'imatos place 'ho rate Of speed some.
thing iI excess Of 10000 miles an
hour or q million miles a day.
Tho rate of speed g. said by Father
Inrgmoynr OF tho ST. Louis University
20 Doe rather leisure rai FOR comets
som" comets and there are thousand.
of th"m travel much faster. Halloy's
comet is Just I'm the last stages OF =
journey of G.NOO0OO.poO miles. A.tro.
uomo.- calculate the comet mus.
have crossed inside the orbiaI dis.
tame" Of Jupiter from the sun about
Jan. ] last. In the middle Of January
rs distance from tho earth was es'I
mated a. 10000 900 miles. During
IN" late fall IL is expected 10 become
visible TO the naked eye. after hav.
ing for months before been photo.
graphod and studied with telescopes.
Il will slowly brighten during tho
next winter. being visible from near.
ly all parts OF the earth
Gradually approaching tho sun. 4,
viii make IS pcrlhelion passage at A
distance Of about 10000 900 from the
solar globe. on April l3 It's greatse,
brightness Is expected 10 occur after
IN" p"rihclion passage. when (, will
bo drawn nearer the earth. and be-
visible In both the evening and the
morning sky. About May lS next tho
comet will BE- only 10000 900 miles
from the earth, although for NOR
than a month it will have been re
. treating from the sun.
First to Reckon Suns Distance.
HALEY, the discoycrcr of the comet
Iived In the days Of Sir Isaac New
ton. "" was the first 10 reckon IN,
diS'anc" OF the sun from the earth
5000 600 milos-through tho nro
cess known as the transit of Venus
\ certain observer stationed or
ON" part OF the earth. saw the tin,
dark body Of Venus take one particu
lar line across tho suns bright face
Another observer standing on auit.
another and q far off part OF the aartl
saw the little dark body take quit,
another line across the suns bright
ilc' From these separate View OF
th' path of Venus across the fac, of
The sun. I'm connection with what ".
already known OF the ,arth's diam.
ter and therefore of the length aEl
base line between the two places. IN,
distance OF the sun was rrckoncd
which is accepted a- q fact TO thi,
day
Father Borgmoyor. in speaking OF
comets, said. From time 10 time in
past day. and days not very long
past, either people were startled by
th" light of "a longtailcd star. moving
quickly across the sky, called comet
We see such longiailed stars still. now
and then; hu' their appearance no
longer start.s us.
IL is hardly surprising. however
that fears were once felt. The great
SIZE and hIil'iancy Of some OF the
comets. like Halloys, naturally caus
cd large IDEAS 10 be held AS to their
weight and tho general uncertainty
about 'ho.r movements naturally add
ID to tho mysterious notions afloat
with r,sprc, 10 their power OF doing
harm
\ collision between the earth and
comet seemed no unlikely event.
and II IL happened what them Why
oI course. ,h. earth would De over
powered, crushed burnt mp. destroy.
ed. So convinced were many of this
point .hat tho sight OF comet and
tho dread Of the coming end of the
world H.~. 'as, bound together in
th,ir i.E.
Come foE