Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1910-05-25
COMETS TAIL WAS CURVED.
World Did Not Pass Through Tail
WcdncSdny-tstro Puzzled.

the astronomers at IerkeS ObServa-
tory here, the tail of Halley's comet
| was plainly visible in the east just
before daybreak to-day. The astron-
omers have no explanation to offer
for the unprecedented phenomena.
Profs. Barnard and Frost declare,
therefore, that the earth has not yet
passed through the tail OF the comet,
as has been universally believed Both
agree that the earth has entered the
comets tail. but are utterly unable
to explain the present situation.
! Prof. S. A. Mitchell. OF Columbia
University; Prof. Edwin b. Frost.
head OF the Ycrkes Observatory staff,
and Prof, Edward Barnard, Of the
University OF Chicago, say that any
one of the following explanations
! may be right:
l. The curvature of the comets
tail, first discovered and noted by
Prof. Barnard on Tuesday night. may
have developed to a wholly unexpect-
ed degree, while the head of the
ule time.
,. Like Borclis comet Of 1903.
lialey's comet may have ceased it's
tail-making activity, cutting off the
| glowing fan that is now puZzlng the
scientists.
3. 1t is possible that all calcula-
tions are wrong and that the comet
has not yet passed the earth.
Hallcy's Tail.
AS nearly as could be computed.
the period Of the appearance OF the
comets tail In the east extended from
OBS o'clock Wednesday night until
$40 o'clock this morning. 1t was
still plainly visible at time when
the astronomers were confident the
earth would have passed completely
through the tail.
After leaving his telescope at day
| break Prof. Frost issued the follow
ing statements:
'Greater than all the theories and
! all the computations are the facts
! And the fact is that the tail Of Hal
ley's comet has been appearing in the
east in practically the same position
as 1t appeared yesterday. There is
no question about that. The tail
which glowed from the horizon close
to the milky way from before mid
might until dawn has not yet passed
across the earth. That is certainty.
In addition, it is also a certainty that
there is no material diminution in
the size of this tail as compared with
the /; \ Of the day before.
1--WE are confident that the calcu-
lations for the passage OF the head
OF the comet between the sun and
the earth were correct. UnQuestioned
! astronomical experts, working indie
pendcntly Of each other in all parts
OF the world, arrived at these calcula-
tions, which have been corrected in
detail ever since ,ha comet passed
Venus on May 2.
1--WE are also confident that the
head Of the comet made the transit
as per schedule. But the mystery of
the appearance Of the tail in the east
this morning is .he great puzzle. It
cannot be explained satisfactorily at
this time
Comet Watchers TcrrOriZcd.
Roselle, y. Y, May 9.--Midnight
comet watchers here were thrown
into a state Of terror as the result of
ti.n ;n1.
Boehn, a young chemist. knowing
that many persons were on the look
out for strange phenomena accom-
panying the passage through the tail
Of the comet. Boehn, with the aid OF
small balloon, a quantity OF sodium.
time fuse and stick Of dynamite,
contrivcd an apparatus which would
rise into the air to a height Of 4 900
feet and then explode with terrific
roar.
The apparatus was released in
large vacant field south of the town
and worked TO perfection. The eX-
ploSiOn Of the dynamite was heard
for miles. The explosion ignitcd the
sodium, which fell to the earth in a
great shower OF flame. Pandemon-
ium rcigncd for time, and it was
| many hours before the fears of some
OF the watchers could be allayed.
Never hesitate about giving Cham
berlain's Cough Remedy to children.
1t contains no opium or other mar
cotlcs and can be given with implicit