The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1910-03-02
LOOK OUT FOR IT
HaIIey's Cenes VIII Begin Sweepcf the
SKY on the First Of April
WHEN IT CAN BE Seen

In the Morning Heavens Just A!.sad
Of the Sun. but Later 1t VIII Pass
to the Western Heavens and Ee
Seen for Several Weeks There Be-
fore Moving On Into Space.
| Now that Ealley.s comet IS rapid
" approaching the earth and Is soon
TO become an object OF great popular
interest. the public VII! Ges;rs 10
know the leading facts concerning
this famoat celestial visitor, and to
learn something Of It's eventfui ais-
tory. N Jus: what part OF the heay-
ems It is At present, when and where
Il may be seen best. when It will bc
| neares: the earth. and what danger.
Il any. Is there OF collision with
our globe. are some OF the questions
that are naturally asked.
The comet Is at present in the con-
stellation Pisces. about half way
from the zenith down 20 the wes-
tern horizon ct dark. and about
degrees west OF the planet Saturn.
It IS not yet visible to the naked eye,
and as {: IS approaching the sun.
it will soon be lost in his rays I'LL
about April I. when It viii 7eappear
in the morning sky ahead OF the
sun. On March % It will be on the
opposite side OF the sun from us,
and on April 20 It viii pass its per-
ihelion at distance OF 54.e9e.0e0
miles from the sun.
From that tine TIL May Is It Will
be q glorious spectacle In the morn
ing heavens. On May IS It will pass
directly between the earth and the
sun, when it viii be only 12.69e. eco.
miles from US. AS It sweeps ra3.diy
from the morning TO the evening sky
again, and after few weeks It Will
bid US adieu for its long journey into
the depths OF space. not to return to
US again in three-fouzths OF CEN
tary.
AS it rushes by US on May 18th
it will pass directly over tho disc cf
the sun. and fine opportunity VIII
be afforded to tes: by observation
the size and character Of the nu-
cieus. II 1t consists " solid particles
Of coE3iderable size or OF dense
aggregation, it wilt be projected rs
dark mass against The bright face Of
the sun. but il 1t is comp'seI Of gas
only. or Of very snlai: particles, wide
ly difused. It viii. pass acrass tho
sun as an invisible mass.
It is rot imp:ob, .'e that :he earth
at that time may 5s:.1," involved is
the aebulosity OF its tai. but the
matter composing '5a tail is so cs-
tremely ,enuous ch:t :hc ea-:h viii
in all probability pass throCsa it
WITHOUT any seus.r.e eject. The
transit OF the come: ;,c-nss the face
OF the sun will tax place during
the night oD the western acnisrhers.
and hence We could not see Il any
way. but astronomers on the op-
posite side OF the earth will doubt
less abserve this phenomenon with
great care.
The orbit Of EaIley's come. is q
very elongated elItpse. extending out
into space 500.e00.000 miles be-
yond the orbit o. Neptune At its
perihelion It's distance from the sun
is 100000 miles. or somewhat
less than the distance OF the planet
Venus. II makes a revolution around
the sun IN about rs years, though
owing to the disturbing effect of the
larger planets on its motion. this
period may vary one OF two years
It's motion in IT'S orbit is retro
grade; that is. it moves around the
sun in ar opposite direction to that
Of the planets. It's orbit IS jucliaed
aboE: Is degrees 10 the plane OF the
earth's orbit. and these orbits are
so ralated that collision between
the earth and the comet Is impos-
si5le.
Halley's comet received It's name
from Edmund HALEY. distinguish
ed English astronomer. who observ-
ed II in 1852 and who predicted its
retur- IN 1859. His prediction was
based upon the fact that its orbit II
1852 was nearly identical with tha:
os 1867 and 1881 He also found
in history references to remarkable
| comets in 1856. 1901 and 1866. As
the interval between the returns OF
these comets was about IS years, he
concluded that they were oIc and
the same body. and this conclusion
proved 20 be correct
The history OF Hal,ey.s comet. as
Il has been traced back through the
ages by its period OF IS years. is
quite ercntful. IN 1866 IS was re-
Sarded as the forerunner OF the vic
tory OF William OF Normandy It's
size then was equal 10 that of the
fall moon. In 1856 its tail reached
from the horizon to the zenith, and
the widest excitement prevailed.
Indeed. 1T every return Of this re-
tnarkab!e comet the nations OF the
earth have looked upon it with awe.
It's first recorded aDpeanence was
I30 B. c., when It was supposed to
herald the birth OF Mithridates.
At this return the conditions vi'l
he very favorable for magnificent
view Of this historical celestial yisi-
tor. and the Impressions made upou
the minds OF those who behold L wal