The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1910-01-25
UNKNOWN COMET MAY NOW
BE SEEN IN THE HEAVENS
"Comet A, 1870" Visible in the
Southwest, Believed to be a
Celestial Tramp.
BIG SURPRISE TO SCIENTISTS

The unknown comet. which has sud
denly appeared in the heavens without
herald or warning from Astronomical
authorities. has caused a sensation
among scientists throughout the coun-
| try and astronomers-exp and nov
ices-are busy training their instru-
mcnts on IT. attempting to determine
it's course and endeavoring to identify
IL as one OF the numerous comets, which
have been discovered from time to
time and whose orbits have been cal
cuated and set down for the enlight-
eminent OF future generations.
The opinion is growing among scien-
lists that the visitor is a celestial
tramp, which has come into view OF
the earth from space where II has
hoated around since the beginning OF
the universe without ever having come
close enough To the earth to be seen
since scientists began TO observe the
heavens. At least nobody has identi-
fed il as known comet and if it has
ever been observed previously in the
history of the world and its character
istics chronicled. the observations have
been written in some obscure place
where they have not been discovered
by modern scientists.
No astronomical instruments are
necessary to observe the comet. one
may climb up on the hill any evening a
half hour or so after the sun has set
and see the strange visitor which
glows like pale torch of fire in the
heavens. a little above the point at
which the sun goes down 1t remains
bright for a half or three quarters OF
beyond the range of vision. If the new
comet were to remain above the hori-
Zon for less than an hour longer than
it does, it would be an object so con-
spicuous that anybody happening TO
look i'm its direction would be attracted
been very favorable in Duluth for OBJ
serving the comet and many people
have taken the opportunity OF seeing II,
In the course of n week or So the
comet may move eastward sufficiently
away from the sun and above the hori-
zon to be still more conspicuous, but
il may on the other hand move i'm the
other direction and be lost to view en-
tirely. It's course cannot yet be de-
termincd. Bishop McGorlick. who is a
close student of astronomy says that
he expects that with few moro OBJ
servations. he will be able to tell what
its course is, and from what direction
IL has come, and when those facts are
determined. IL will be easier to deter
mine whether IL has ever been OBJ
served before.
The theory of astronomers at present
is that the orbit of the new comet is of
such great dimensions that it has
never in the history of man
approached near enough to the sun and
the earth to be observed. or if it did
the earth heretofore. 1t was
before man learned to study the heav-
ems and their wonders.
Harvard college observatory has re-
ceived n cable dispatch from Kiel Civ
ing calculations OF the orbit of the
comet, which is known as Comet A,
1910" The observations show that the
comet was nearest the sun Jan. II, the
distance from II being 100000 miles
1t is now receding and diminishing in
brightness, but it is expected to be an
interesting object in the heavens for
several days yet