The Mankato free press., 1910-05-27
STILL INTACT.
PASSED THROUGH COMETS TAIL
WITHOUT A JOLT.
Those Who Gazed Skyward Did Not
See Much That Was Strange; Fall
of Meteor Caused the Dishes to
Rattle Some; Sample of Atmos-
phere Taken at University Didn't
Contain Great Deal of Gas.
From thursdays Daily.

TfoH Oduy'
Mankato people who watched last
evening to see the earth pass through
the tail of the comet did not see mucl
that was strange.
At 9:l8 meteor fell from the hori
zon on the north going almost to the
zenith before it disappeared The me
teor originated in the square of Pegasus
and disappeared at the zenith. Two
other meteors were noticed, one al
9:4l and one at ten o'clock
At 9:22 the aurora became Wis
ible and continued with varying bril-
liancy until about 5:J5, when vel
defined aurora was evident. No one saw
any sign of the comets tail.
Made Things Rattle.
After the meteOrs fell, many people
who were in their homes felt distinct
shock. The earth was Jared sufficiently
to rattle windows and dishes and other
light and movable articles Some though
that it was slight shock of earth
quake.
People in Mankato and in many
other parts of the world are resting
easier today, for the comet has come
and gone. and but for the calculations
of the astronomers no one would have
known that around ten o'clock last
night we were sweeping through the
tail of the comet at rate of nearly
2.760 miles minute. People who
watched the heavens saw a compara-
lively faint display of the aurora bore
alis, which is believed to be due to the
comet, but had they not known that
the comet was scheduled they would
not have thought of connecting the
two.
Topic of Conversation.
The comet was the topic of convcr
sation everywhere yesterday and in
some quarters the occasion of some gen.
uine fear. People asked what time
they could know that they were safe.
Most of them continued their work ac
cording to the usual routine, but they
at least jokingly asked each other
whether it was any use, doing work
that might as well be left undone if
the comet was going to put an end to
activity on the earth.
Scientists, on the other hand were
at their posts watching for any phe-
nomena which might indicate the
transit of the comet between the earth
and the sun. But aside from the dis
plays of aurora nothing was noted ex-
cept the increase in the electrical pull
ing force.
potential gradient" was noted by
Professor John Zeleny of the depart
ment of physics at the state university
last night. Professor Zeleny was max
ing observations with the clectroscope
and taking readings every few minutes.
At 5:l5 the instrument recorded
change in the potential gradient or cleo
trcal fluid of 800 per cent.
The Electric Fluid.
This electrical fluid is the pulling
force of electricity from the earth to
the sky and is due to charges OF
masses of electricity in the air. The
electrical fluid was increased five times,
to the reading. This increase
lasted two minutes. Professor Zeleny
could find no radical activity OF no
during the evening.
George Frankforter, dean of the
department, took four sam
pies of the atmosphere late in the
evening at the time when the earth
was supposed to be passing through
the comets tail. These samples were
taken in tubes that had been previ-
prsly emptied of air. He passed all
electric current through these samples
to determine by means of the spectre
scope whether the atmosphere was any
Could Not Discover Gas.
The spcctrOscope showed the compost
ton of the atmosphere to be exactly
the same as earlier in the day, so if
The earth was in the midst of the
comets tail not enough of the gas
which composes the tail had permeated
the atmosphere far enough to be no.
ticeable at the surface of the earth.
Professor Zeleny said he believed that
the increase in electric potential was
due to the comet, and Professor Leav
rnwortli thought that the comet was the
cause of the aurora.
Claim They Saw the Comet
Several people claim to have seen
the comet last night. George Hodson
states that he saw it distinctly at
3:45 o'clock this morning, in the east.
He looked again at 4:3O a. III. and saw
it, but its position was considerably
changed 1t was higher and following
the course taken by the sun. He called
the members of his household and they
all saw it. When the sun arose the
comet faded from view.
Mic Harris. who lives OH North Broad
street. and his family. state that they
saw the comet at 1920 a. m., in the
northern sky.
The comet will be visible tomorrow
and Saturday evenings, shortly after