The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-05-23

StructlOn or the greater part or the human race is possible.
 A Magnificent Spectacle.
 There is reason to believe that, even though the advent of the comet Is at tended with no disaster, it will be a most spectacular vision.
 The comet will be near the earth at a time when there is a. total eclipse of the moon and it will, moreover occupy the position in the heavens which it had when 1t made its most brilliant previous appearance in history-in the fifteenth century-when it's coming was supposed to forewarn the conquest of the Chris tians by the Turks, and in l066 when it's coming was taken to be good omen for the success of William the Conqueror in England.
 At all events, there will 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 alarmists will be sure to predict when the fated time draws near, they may cer- tainly feel sure of seeing many strange spectacles and happenings recalling viv- idly the strange events with which the comet has been associated since before the coming of Christ.
 l The name by which Halleys comet is known has been given it in honor of the man who first computed its orbit. The l last appearance of the comet was in 1855, when 1t was seen distinctly in the United 1 States. It makes its appearance, roughly every r years.
 The first appearance of the comet of which there Is any record took place inl- mediately before the beginning of the Christian era. Since that time 1t has ap peared regularly at intervals of about 76 years.
 Its Previous Appearances.
 It's apparitions have been regarded prin- cipally by the Chinese European nations not having knowledge of astronomy in the Middle Ages and it's apparitions have almost always coincided with some important event in history.
 The visit of the comet in 1066-the year of the battle of HaStings-was considered of so much importance that picture of it appears woven in the Bayeux tapestry as a fortunate omen for William the Con- queror. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle rec ords its appearance somewhat as fol- lows
 Tn this year King Harold came from York to Westminster at Easter, which was then on the day of the XVIth of the Kal. of May (April 16) There was seen all over England such a sign in the heav- ems as no man ever saw before. Some men said 1t was the star Cometa, which some called the hairy star and at first appeared on the eve of Litania Ma jor, the vIIIth of Kal. of May April 2D, an so shone all the seven nights"
 The appearance of the comet in 14o6 took place when the Turks, under the leadership of Mohammed II, threatened Christendom. The great curved tail, look ing so much like the curved scimitar of the Mussulman, struck such abject terror into the heart of Christendom that Pope Calixtus formally communicated the celestial monster and ordered the Chris tian nations to offer up a special prayer for deiverance from the Turk. To the Ave Maria" was added the prayer, Lord save us from the devil, the Turk, and the comet
 When it Came in 1885.
 During the comets last appearance to earth. in 1885, 1t was within 42, o00.O00 miles of the earth, or less than half as far away as the sun. While thus near us it underwent some remarkable changes of appearanee The astronomer Bessel com pared its nucleus, or head, to burning rocket and in his description mentions ''blazing sector" which swung like a pen dulum to and fro for period of nearly five days.
 "These accumulatlons, he adds, ''were then swept back as if by a tempestuous wind to form tail, which on October 15 measured at least A degrees" about one-fourth the distance from the zenith to the horizon
 After the comet had faded from the un- aided sight, Sir John Herschel stationed at the cape with a powerful telescope, noted a remarkable phenomenon. The nu- cleus of the comet assumed the form of a miniature comet with head and tail. and this ''comet within a comet" was the last appearance to the eye Of man of the wanderer. due back In @ few months
 When the comet had faded from the last view in 1885 the astronomers set themselves to computing when it would next be seen. The generally accepted conclusion was that 1t would appear on May "A, 191O but there are several very delicate allowances and computations of differences to be made in this calculation, so the comet may be here 10 days or more before this
 If will be seen after it's first appearance until the end of June, increasing in bril- liancy each night Then 1t will slowly disappear.
 By the beginning of August the comet will have been almost altogether forgot ten by laymen. Only few astronomers will be working on the question of when if will next be seen on earth and what will be it's appearance.
 Will 1t Strike the Earth?
 If the comet should pass the orbit of the earth on April Il instead of the day, some weeks later, set for it, says one scientist, it would come into head-on col lision with the earth. The consequences of this are quite beyond imagination.
 The relative velocity of the two bodies would be about 30 miles a second. Just consider what would happen if an inn nense mass of molten material should