The Detroit times., 1910-05-13
HALLErs BLAzIN c
COMET SEEN BY
Times WRITER
It's Tail Is 25,ooo,0oo Miles Long
When Viewed Through Great Tel
escope in Observatory at Uni
versity of Michigan.
Prof. Hussey Says 1t Is Most Bril-.
liant Sight He Has Ever
Witnessed.
BY ALFRED J. PITTS.
(staff Corres pondent The Tlmes.)


ANN ARBoR, Mich, May IA
blazing ball OF fire with tail $4,000
900 miles In length, hurting towards
the earth at the rate OF 40 miles sec
ond, Is an awe-inspiring sight TO look
upon. II was presented to me early
today as | looked at Halleyis comet
through the monster telescope In the
observatory at the University OF
Michigan.
AS II sped towards me 1t looked
about as large as a dinner plate. IL
was hidden slightly by fuzzy cover.
but Its cauldron-like properties were
plainly noticeable. The phenomenon
at that moment was 30,000,000 miles
from the earth, having travelled more
than 300,O0O.000 miles since last Sep
TENDER. when 1t was first observed
after Its trip OF three billion miles
from outer darkness.
The sky never looked more brilliant
\ as the comet slowly assembled In the
east at 2:30 O'Clock. The tail. OF pure
white, was plainly visible, but the nh
cleus was hidden in the dark border
that lined the horizon. In short
time, however, the head appeared. AT
first II looked like star, but not quite
as luminous as Venus, whose bril-
lance was very pronounced. Tho
comet gradually arose until II present
cd scene of grandeur and magnih-
cence such as nature seldom produces
for our contemplation.
group of 90 persons stood on the
hill outside the observatory, thrilled
by the brilliant spectacle, while Prof
j. w. Hussey, the famous astronomer,
and his assistant, DR.. r. II. Curtiss.
were busily engaged in the great dome
taking observations. Wien the phe
nomenon was It's best. presenting
picture OF vari-colered hues, ] was
permitted to look at 1t. Ii surely
looked like a ball of flaming proper'
ties. The middle was OF brilliant red,
while the edge was tinged with a
slightly dark hue. II travelled at
rapid rate, Il being necessary To re-
adjust the focus every few seconds.
Twenty-foiir hundred miles q minute
was its velocity.
A crowd OF curious persons-etu.
dents, citizens of Ann Arbor and
sometimes residents of other cities.
gathers OH the hill every night and
sweeps the horizon for a glimpse OF
the comet Last night several women
sat near the observatory for fully an
hour and a half before the phenom-
enon was visible Pickering lights In
the houses nearby showed that the
occupants were astir as early as l 80
o'clock. in one place two students
had been working studiously over
their lessons since the previous even
ing, determined to burn the midnight
oil for a double purpose--to make
sure that they did not fail In their
lessons and TO see the comet. about
which 80 much had been written and
said
At 1880 the crowd began to gather,
one or two persons appearing at FREE
auent intervals from different direc-
lions. BY the time the comet appear
cd there was q striking group on the
hill. The majority of this crowd view
ed the comet until only a small star,
DINNER by far than Venus, had grad
ually disappeared from view OF the
naked eye.
Prof. Hussey was in charge Of the
Lick observatory's eclipse expedition
To Egypt In 1906 and was awarded the
I.alande gold medal by the French
academy In 1906. He was called TO
the University OF Michigan in 1906
But, in spite OF his long and diligent
search of the heavens, he told me the
view OF Halley,s comet last night was
by far the most brilliant sight he had
ever witnessed.
Does the comet possess cyanogen
gas? Yes, but Prof. Hussey was not
alarmed as to the passing of the earth
through the tail May IS. There was
a considerable portion OF this deadly
gas in the comet he said, but not
enough to cause alarm. The earth will
go through this chemical body with
out sustaining any damage whatever.
Prof Hussey and DR.. Curtiss took
observations Of the phenomenon for
nearly anShour. They did not stop UNI
III the red glow Of the sun became SO
strong that the tail had entirely disap'
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