The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-05-16
SCIENTISTS WILL
SPY On FLIRTING
win Rudely Rubber When Hal
Iey's Comet Calls Upon
Miss Earth.
BATTERY OF TELESCOPES
WILL AID THE WISE MEN IN
THEIR pEgpINc sTuNT-Row
ON As TO WHAT HEAVENLY
vioiToR 70 LIKE.


Washington. May 16.-Halley's com.
ct will be greeted Wednesday on its
closest approach to the earth by bris.
Ting battery Of telescopes, thanked by
rapid fire lenses In the celestial cam
eras Of the naval observatory, the only
. national observatory in the United
States The government observer pre-
pared for the great star rushing
through space, and elaborate calcu-
lations have been made as to the min
ute and second the flying comet will
be at given places in the heavens
where 1t will be observed and photo
graphed.
Among the scientists there is some
difference of opinion as to the effect
the great star will have upon the earth
but the differences are minor. Prof.
Asaph Hall of the naval observatory
would not be surprised II there were q
shower Of meteorites.
Naulty Takes Issue.
Edwin r. Naulty Of New York who
has been at the observatory making
telescope and spectroscopic observa-
tions takes issue with Prof. Hall, and
contends that the tail of the comet is
composed Of neither gas nor meteoric
bodies and that such q shower as Prof.
Hall deems possible could not follow:
THE tail of Halley's comet to all in
tents and purposes Is celestial search
light" said MI. Naulty today. 1T is
nothing more than sunlight condensed
from radiant solar energy and pro-
cessed through the solar system pre-
cisely % lens focuses condenses and
transmits light"
The changing spectrum of Halley's
comet. according to Mr.. Naulty's the
DRY 10 due to the fact that as the COM
cts great tail Of light sweeps through,
various parts Of the solar system, It
lights up different layers Of gases, con-
veying the impression that the tail It.
self IL gaseous.
Does Cause Disturbance.
1.-THE sweeping Of this cometary cone
OF solar force does cause disturbance
in the solar system" said Mr.. Naulty.
THE earth and all the planets are AZ
fected. not only when they come with
In the actual cone. - the cart will do
on Wednesday. but also by the ethereal
waves set In motion by the comets
tail. It IL the constant attempt of the
earth's mass and its atmosphere to
adjust themselves to this disturbance
that has caused the prevalent earth
tremors, storms and other phenome-
non.
The climax will be reached this
week. There will no collision Of the
earth and comet, nor will earth be en-
veloped In poisonous gases.
1.-THE effect of the passage may cause
great condemnation of atmospheric va
pors. 30 that automatically the earth
will be provided with q sort of shield
which will act like q lead screen used
to protect x-ray operatoirs'
Moon "euttino In"
The comet has monopolized all &c.
lestial attention of late. but when 1t
approaches nearest the earth on May
10, Il will find the moon has SO chang
Cd her movements AZ to be full and the
conflict Of her rays will make observ-
vations Of the comet more difficult
than would be the case II there were
no opposition.
At the naval observatory the scien.
lists have been watching the comet
through the powerful telescopes every
morning when 1t is brightest. The OBJ
servers each day can note the broad
ening of the tail and the enlargement
Of the head.
The heavily body will increase In APP
parent size and brilliancy until Wed
uesday, when 1t will begin to decrease
and In . few weeks will disappear into
space. not to be seen again for nearly q
century.