The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-04-20
PHOTOGRAPH MADE
 OF HAL[EY'S COMET
Tail Found to Be 2,000,000
 Miles Long
YET BEYOND NAKED EYE
Is Now Comparable to That of Star of Sixth Magnitude, the FaIntest Star Visible to the
 Naked Eye

Chicago. April Special 1.-The Record Herald says:
 Halleys comet has tail at least 200o,O0 miles in length. What is more it is probable that the tail will grow apace as the comet shoots toward the earth at the rate of 3,000,000 miles a day. and that we shall be able to view the fiery phenomenon in it's entirety without a telescope within 10 days.
 These facts In all their numerical dignity are made public on the auth or tty of the astronomers at Yerkes ob- servatory. Williams Bay, who observed the comet for almost an hour yestel- day morning under ideal conditions. Professors Edwin E. Frost and E. D.. Barnard operated on it with telescopes, spectroscopes and photographic tele- scopes to their hearts content, effectu- ally dissipating the suspicion that the eccentric joy rider" had mislaid its appendage in it's recent journey be- hind the sun.
 Comet Is Photographed
 Professor Barnard secured a satis- factory photograph of the comet, tail and all. with his observatory's Bruce photographic telescope, which had been specially equipped. Professor Frost watched the sky visitor through his 12-inch instrument and made a spec troscopic examination. revealing the fact that the comets light at present comes largely from the sun, whereas at the last inspection the body's lum- inous gases were more in evidence.
 To Professor Frosts eyes the comet appeared to be one-third the diameter of the moon in length, while on the photograph 1t appears as two diameters of the moon in length. It's brightness was comparable to the brightness of star of the sixth magnitude, the taintest star visible to the naked eye. The dawn. however made the comet invisible to the naked eye.
 Professors Frost and Barnard began their observations shortly after 1 o'clock. and stopped a few minutes be- fore o'clock. The photographic plate was exposed II minutes to clear sky and its development was a matter of much interest at the observatory.
 Is Brighter Now
 "The comet looked 50 per cent bright CT than 1t did five or six days ago., said Professor Frost. "If the sky had been dark it would have been visible without the use of the telescope. The comet rose an hour and quarter be- fore the sun. the dawn being still too strong for view with the naked eye.
 q found it easily with the three inch finder attached to my instrument, and Professor Barnard and l observed 1t for some tirne. It looked simply like bright staI with a fuzzy extension of tail pointing away from the sun. It will look about that way when 1t be- comes visible to everybody though the tail may appear much larger.
 "It Is not yet safe to predict when the comet will be plainly on view, but I think 1t will be within 10 days. The 2,00O0o0 miles of tail visible to US may represent only part of its real length, and that is another point we shall soon learn.'
 Many students of the University of Chicago plan to get a glimpse of the comet this week. The students intend to hold comet party as soon as the celestial visitor becomes visible to the n n ed eNe