The Washington herald., 1909-05-09
HALLEYS COMET SOON TOAPPEAR

The return Of Rslleys comet-the larg-
est. most brilliant. and most awful COM
ct in the heavens, which some sstrono-
mers assert was the Star OF Bethlehem.
and which has terrified mankind for many
generstions-is predicted for May, 1910.
and by the beginning Of next November,
Il is said. the comet VIII be sufficiently
near the earth TO be viewed through the
large telescopes.
Should the comet cross the path OF the
earth two days earlier tnan expected (and
it's movement have never been predicted
with absolute certainty It would strike
/ the earth head-on. Just what the conse-
ouences Of this impact would be It Is i'm
possible to say. as there never has been q
collision OF a frst-class comet and the
earth IN recorded times. but that # would
be highly disastrous and might mean de-
struction Of the greater part Of the hu-
man race Is possible, says che Baltimore
Sun.
A Magnificent Spectacle.
/ There is reason to believe that even
though the advent OF the comet is attend
ed with no disaster, # VIII be a most
/ spectacular vision.
The comet Will be near the earth at a
time when there is total eclipse Of the
moon. and II will. moreover. occupy the
! position IN the heavens which Il had
when It made its most brilliant previous
appearance in history-in the fifteenth
! centpry-when its coming was supposed
[ ro Fo-a-r--- fFa ~or.~...~. - 49,. rst--s-
tisns by the Turks. and IN 106s. when its
coming was taken to be q good omen for
the success OF william the Conqueror in
England
At all events. there viii be many
strange occurrences when the comet does
come near the earth next summer, and
though the inhabitants need not expect
the destruction OF the earth. as some
aiarmists VIII be sure 10 predict when
the fated time draws near. they may GER
tsinly feel sure Of seeing many strange
sPectacles and happenings recalling Wv
idly the strange events with which the
comet has been associated since before
the coming Of Christ.
The name by which Halley's comet IS
I nt-SF~iA AciS tCc&t bAhNal II N IVuuE OF inc
man who first computed It's orbit. The
last appearance Of the comet was in 1875.
when it was seen distinctly IN the United
States. II makes It's appearance. roughly,
every seventy-seven years
The first appearance OF the comet OF
which there Is any record took place i'm
nnedistely before the beginning OF the
Christian era Since that tine Il has an
peared regularly az intervals Of about
seVenty-six years
Its Previous Appearances.
Its apparitioDs have been regarded prin-
cipsIiy by the Chinese. European nations
not having knowledge OF astronomy in
the Middle Ages And its appariuons
have almost always coincided with some
important event in history.
The visit or the comet IN tI0SS-the year
OF the battle OF Hastings-was considered
Of so much importance that q picture OF
4 appears woven in the BayeuH tapestrv
as fortunate omen for William the Con
qUeTor- The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle rec
ords its appearance somewhat as follows.
In this year King Harold came from
York 10 Westminster 81 Easter which
was then on the day Of the XVIth OF the
kal. Of May (April I6}. There was seen
al over England such a sign in the heav-
ens as no man ever before saw. =
Some men said Il was the star Coueta
which some called the hairy star, and at