The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-05-12
HIT BY A SHADOW
That VIII Be Effect OF Collision
With Comets Tail.
Crash Scheduled to Take Place
Next Week.
TOO LIGHT TO SEE.
Little Substance to Appendage
of Heavenly Visitor.
Earth Has Had Similar Ex-
periences Before.

Comets says Weather Observer
Flora, ''are serious things. If one OF
EN- hits you it's all off with you.''
Such was the expression of the
weather shark when pressed for infor-
nation regarding Hauey's comet.
which is due to switch its tail at US
Tuesday. Wednesday and Thursday Of
next week For three days we shall
whirl through the comets tail. Just
what will be the result of the plunge
into the swish is problematical. Flora
suggested it would brush the flies away
and thus make the work of Secretary
Crumbine lighter. But then he said,
comets are serious things and you can
not tell what they can do with their
tails.
Just now the comet is visible each
morning in the east. near where the
sun rises. 1t is said to be visible. The
reporter has not remained up that late
to ascertain if the report be true. The
weather man has not arisen early
enough to substantiate the report but
| il is admitted that such is the case.
Il IS also admitted that the earth is
week.
Dumping into the comets tail. ac-
cording 10 the books on file in the local
weather bureau office is & good deal
q
shadow. You don't even disturb it, 1t
/ is lot like reaching for a five dollar
/ bill which you find in your dream 1t
| is something like the step you take
when you reach the head of the stairs
and think there is one step more when
there isn't
1t is nothing new for the earth to
/ pass through a comets tail Twice has
| this occurred. The books and records
sent from Washington to the weather
hTrT do n fell Vtrhp ha n
I passed through a comets tail the first
time, but the second time was on June
80, 1861. One Of the I1rgest. most
fully developed comets of modern
times switched rs with its tail at that
time. Many people predicted the Civil
war from this comet The earth spun
on while 365-000 miles Of comet tail
thrObbed and swished about the in
habitants.
The comet can not hit the earth be-
| cause old Mother Earth. always equip
ped for such unlocked for happenings
consulted her comet schedule book
and found that the comet was due to
arrive at the sun at a certain time
/ and would pass through where the
earth Will be Tuesday. Wednesday and
Thursday, early in May. But the
earth gets in in plenty of time TO
tickle the comet as it passes. If
| like mules the earth will be in pre-
| carious position next week
! The comet which the earth passed
| through in the early sixties had a fan
/ tail There were six different dis
| seminations, and one of these tails
| reached the enormous length of 100
| degrees This means that beginning
at the horizon the tail would extend
! two thirds Of the distance across the
/ sky to the opposite horizon.
/ It is unlikely that the comets big
as they are supposed to be, are more
/ than one one-hundredth of the size
! of the earth. However, this would
make a large iron ball 100 miles in
( diameter and would prevent the fight
/ next Fourth of July should it hit the
/ Jeffries training camp.
/ Everywhere people are watching the
/ comet and after next week you will
know what it is like to pass through
/ the tail of the comet
According TO weather bureau Off
I Gals Kansas is a fine place from
which to watch the comet and it
| ought, therefore. to be a good place
| to feel the swish of a comets tail.
After May % the comet will be
| visible in the evening The comet is
| just now west of the sun and is NOV
/ from this distance, directly toward the
sun. Could you take your telescope
| and train it so many degrees west of
! the sun you would see the comet now
/ Meanwhile you will have to wait I'M
/ til May % unless you want to get I'D
! early in the morning to see Mr. Hal
j ley's discovery Even when we pass
| through the tail of the comet there
| won't according to the weather sharks
/ be even a pin feather visible. Auv-
/ how, it is coming.