The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1910-05-12
THE MYSTIC WANDERER
Ralley's Comet is Speeding Toward
the Earth.

|
! tween the earth and the sun and at the
same time swishes this planet with
| its nubulous tail. This important
event Is scheduled to take place on
May 1S and astronomers throughout
the world are making extensive prep
aratlons to secure good photographs
and gather all the information pos
sible on this heavenly wanderer.
The opportunity TO photograph this
month, will be unusual, as it will be
only 100000 miles from the earth
on May 18. 1t will cross the suns
disc during the forenoon, and will be
visible In the west shortly after sun.
set for several days later, finally pass
ing out of sight on its long journey
| away from the sun.
| What will happen when we pass
through the tail of the comet? Ac.
eording to the information furnished
by the leading astronomers, there is
nothing to be feared. At this time
the tail will be about 15,O0O,OOO miles
/ long, and the head of the comet will
be l2,OOO,000 miles away from the
earth. The tail is said to be made CT
thin, harmless gasses, much lighte,
than the air we breathe, and it is very
probable that it will not be noticeable
AS the contract will take place in the
| forenoon, it will certainly not he
| noticeable on this side of the earth
where 1t will be broad daylight.
Were the erath and the head of the
comet to come in contct. however. il
would be more serious, but there is
no likelihood of this, as the earth will
have safely passed that point in its
| orbit by the time the comet reaches it
OF all the comets which have ap.
| peared from time to time, Halley's is
the most interesting, and i. the oldest
one of which we have any record, its
appearance being recorded as early as
II b. c. Unlike other comets. this
heavenly traveller has closed orbit
OF which 1t makes a complete circuit
every 10 years. The discovery of this
TACT was responsible for its name. II
was In 1852 that Edmund HALEY. ar
Engllshman, made the announcement
that the comets move in orbits, after
a great deal of research in similar or.
bits, and concluded that these were
one and the same When he had sat.
lshed himself as to his discovery. he
announced that the comet would ap.
pear IN the latter part of 1888 or the
beginning of 1859. Although he haG
been dead a number of years, the
astronomical world awaited with con.
siderable curiosity the result of his
prediction. and when the brilliant
body lit up the heavens on Christmas
OF lI5S, 1t was Immediately christen.
ed with Halley's comet. 1t appeared
next in 1888.
On Its present trip the mysterious
visitor was first sighted on Septembe,
IL last. Max Woll, Heidelberg. who
In developing photographs of the
heavens, noticed the srange speck or
the negative smaller than most of the
stars. What attracted his attention
was the swift movement of the BODY
Tor 1t was not in the same position on
any two negatives. At this time il
was travelling at the rate of more than
| IOOO miles a minute on its iourney
toward the sun. On September l6
Professor +. f. Barnard caught sight
OF the comet with the 40-inch Yerkes
telescope, and since that time many
| photographs have been made of if.
but on account of its great distance
they have been very indistinct. Dur.
ing the early part of the wear the
comet was invisible, being on the op.
! Poslte side OF the sun from the earth.
1t had then reached its perihelion and
started on its journey outward, draw.
ing nearer the earth every dav. This
Will continue until May Is, when il
VIII pass between the earth and the
sun, and short time later will cross
the earth s. orbit and disappear into
| the great unknown, not to be seen
again for another generation.
One Of the curious facts about tb.
comet Is that as it approaches the
sun, 1t trails its immense tail after il
| In Its mad pace through the heavens
AS 1t gets nearer the sun the tail
! gradually disappears, alwavs stavino
on ehe side OF the comet opposite the
sun. when 1t reaches its perihelion
it has scarcely any tail, but this be.
gins to form on its outward course.
| AS 1t is now journeying awav from
the sun, 1t is travelling with its tail
first, and it will be in this position
when 1t passes the earth.
During Biblical times, and even
down beyond the Middle Ages. the
inhabitants Of the earth stood in
great fear of a comet, and Halley's
has been linked with a number of
historical incidents. 1t was in S37
during the reign of Louis I 1.-THE
Pious) of France, that the comet ap-