The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-01-24
The Comet was Shining Brightly Again
Last Evening and Was Seen
by Great Many
People.
SOMEWHAT OF MYSTERY
It is Less Than Week Old and Can
be Plainly seen With the Nakei
Eye on Dark Eve
pipn

The comet was out again last night
and was seen this time by a great
many people. It was late in present
ing itself, not appearing in the west
ern sky until 600 o'clock and many
who waited and watched for it before
that time, gave up the wait and miss
ed seeing it.
But as soon as the shades of night
began falling and the sky grew dark,
the comet could be plainly seen and
presented wierd and rather start
ling effect. 1t was the first comet
that great many of the citizens had
seen for it has been about 80 years
since the last big one appeared in the
northern sky.
Just after the sun sets, there is a
big star directly above the sun which
shines brilliantly long before dusk set
| ties. This is not the comet, but acts
as good guide post to watch for
| the big sight. The comet is to the
north of this bright star and does not
appear until the sky becomes dark,
then it looms up in the western hori-
zon. 1t cannot be mistaken after it
4 appears for it appears like bright
star with fame shooting up from it.
1t hangs straight up and down In
the sky and disappears in the west.
appearing to be dropping straight
down from the sky into the Pacific
ocean, but probably several million
miles away. ii this evening is clear,
it can likely be seen again and is well
worth looking for
Less than week old, the new comet
is somewhat of q mystery to the
s astronomers. They do not know how
long it will be visable and it may be
possible that it will hang around in
the sky for several weeks, or it may
! disappear almost any night. The last
big comet, it will be remembered, was
visible every clear night for several
weeks time.
= Astronomers have name and the
history of a great number of comets
: but this is new one and they have
not yet figured out whether 1t is one
of the old ones which has been lost
! for several hundred years. or an en-
tirely brand new one. There
! is no danger in this sky
night rider for it is so fal
+ away and not going in the right di
Q rection to hit the earth or the sun
or moon. If it should change III
: course and strike the earth, or tht
. sun, nobody knows what the conse
I quences would be, for such thing ha!
!. never before happened. 1t is probable
however, that if it struck the earth
4 it would burn everything up, but if j
s struck the sun, it would be consumes
by the heat of that planet
n The astronomers are studying th'
II thing and within a short time will b.
o able TO give ont all the information
necessary They will be able t.
g tell just how big the comet is, wha
i it weighs, how hot it is and at wha
y rate of speed it is going. They vii
e figure out its orbit and can tell wha
will become of it and whether it viii
appear again in II years. or disaT
s pear never to return. If they an
" nounce that this comet will come bael
5. again in II years, nobody will care
: for the greater majority OF those VIII
II can now see the thing, will be dea
:. and gone but if the astronomers de
e eide that the comet is gradually draw
ing nearer to the earth, this would b