Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1910-06-11
ON COMETS
Interesting Facts That Were I'm.
earthed by Bill Nye.
HIS STUDY OF SKY SCIENCE
The Humorist's Researches Shed a
Flood Of Brilliant Light Upon the
Peculiar Traits Of the "As.rononnieal
Parodies on the Planets"

Flood Of Brilliant Light Upon the
Peculiar Traits OF the "Astronon,iea al
Parodies on the Planets"
The famous American humorlst. Bill
Nye. wrote the following article on the
traits Of comets for the san Francisco
Argonaut, IN which II was published
n number Of years ago:
The comet is a kind OF Astronomical
parody on the planet. Comets lool;
some like planets. but they are thin.
ner and do not hurt so hard when they
hit anybody as planet does. The
comet was so called because Il had
hair on II. believe. but OF late years
the bnldheaded comet is giving just
as good satisfaction everywhere.
The characteristic features OF the
comet are n nucleus. nebulous light
or coma and usually n luminous train
or tail worn high. Sometimes several
tails are observed on one comet. but
this occurs only In flush times.
When ! was young ! used TO think
I would like TO be comet In the sky.
up above the world so high. with
nothing to do but loaf around and play
with the little new laid planets and
have a good time. but now can see
where | was wrong. Comets also
have their troubles. their perihelions,
their hypcrbolas and their parabolas. A
little over 300 years ago Tycho Brahe
discovered that comets were extrane'
Gus to our atmosphere. and since then
times have improved. ! can see that
trade Is stcadlcr and potatoes run less
to tops than they did before.
Soon after that they discovered that
comets all had more or less periodlcl.
~. Nobody knows how they get It,
All the astronomers had been watch.
Ing them day and night and didn't
know when they were exposed. but
there was no time TO talk and argue
over the question. There were 200 or
300 comets all down with It at once
II was an exciting time.
Comets sometimes live 10 great
age. This shows that the night air Is
not so injurious TO the health MS many
people would have us believe. The
great comet of 1850 Is supposed "a
have been the one that was noticed
about the time of Caesars death. ~
Is. O.. and still when 1t appeared In
Newton's time. loo years after its
first grand farewell tour. Ike said that
It was very well preserved indeed and
seemed TO have retained all It's facul-
ties In good shape.
A late writer on astronomy said thar
the substance of the nebulosity and
the tail Is OF almost inconcevable
tenuity. He said this. and then death
came TO his relief.
|. Another writer says of the comet ana
Its tail that the curvature of the lat
ter and the acceleratlon OF the period
time In the case OF Encke's comet In
dictate their being affected by resist
Ing medium which has never been oh.
served TO have the slightest influence
on the planetary periods"
do not fully agree with the emi.
nent authority. though he may bp
right. Much fear has been the result
of the comets appearance ever since
the world began. aud Il Is rs good u
thing 20 worry about us anything
know OF. IL we could get close to |;
comet without Frightening II away We
would find that we could walk through
II anywhere as we could through the
glare OF torchlight procession We
should so live that We will not br
ashamed TO look IA comet In the eye.
however Let US pay NJ our newspa
per subscription and lead such live.
THAI when the comet strikes we will h,
ready.
Some worry a good deal about the
chances for big comet TO pillow into
the sun some dark. rainy night and
thus bust up the whole universe.
wish that was all ! had TO worry
about-the comets crashing into the
sun and knocking It's dayllghis out.
There Is much In the great field OF
astronomy that is discouraging TO the
savani who hasn't the time or means
10 rummage through the heavens Al
times ! am almost hopeless aud fee
like saying TO the great. yearntul. hun
cry world:
"Grope on forever. Do no, ask ME
for another scientific fact. Find 1t out
yourself. Hunt up your own new laid
planets and let ME have rest. Never
ask me again TO sit up all night and
take care OF the newborn world while
H..