The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1910-04-07

probability that the earth's atmos-
phere will absorb 1t. In other words,
these great bodies sometimes lose
their tails as in the case of Encke's
comet. 1t is not impossible that the
earth's plunge through the fiery train
may rob that appendage of six or
eight million miles of brilliant plu-
mage.
AT all events the appearance of the
comet is of exceptional interest, not
only to astronomers, who will doubt
less obtain much valuable informa-
ton as to its structure, but to the
people of the Pacific coast, espec-
tally the western part thereof, who
will be favored above the residents
of all other portions of the globe,
with an inspiring or frightening Wis
ion that has seldom If ever been
possible on earth since the discov-
cry OF the wanderer long before the
birth of Christ. Though this is true,
the comet takes its name from Ed
mund HALEY, who determined its
periodicity at the age of GA years,
in 1920. The spectacle of the transit
this year will break all historical rec
ords and it's like may never again be
seen during the time of the inhabit-
ability of the globe.
Professor Charles Burkhalter of
the Chabot Observatory, Okland, Cal,
writes that Professors Crommelin and
Cowell have made the most exhaus-
tive imaginable researches into the
history of the comet. With infinite
pains, involving many years hard
toll they have calculated the per-
iodicity of the body that attracted
the attention of their eminent pre-
decessor. They have determined
that the periodicity-time required to
travel from point nearest the sun
around it's orbit and back to the
starting points about &c years, al
though the present appearance indi-
Gates a shorter periodicity, as only
"a years and some six months will
he required. The shortening of the
long race this time is due to the at
fractions of other planets, princip-
ally Saturn.
The Greenwich experts estimate
that the comet will reach the decend-
ing node on May IS. at which time
1t will be in direct line between
the orbits of the sun and earth, and
it so happens that the earth will
reach that particular point of it's or
bit at about the same time. Unless
| there has been some error in the
calculations, the comet will pass di-
rectly between the earth and the sun
between the hours of and 10 D. M
standard Pacific time.
On the assumption that the tran
sit will ocurr during the middle
part of this time-7 D. m.-the spec
tacle will be LUMINOSITY visible on
the Pacific coast. The sun will have
set in the eastern states, and the
comet will therefore be invisible east
of the Rocky mountains. Time and
opportunity therefore favor the Pa
cific coast, and we shall have the
chance to observe a transit that is
unique in all history
| The comet is very close to the
calculated position at the present mo-
ment, and those who have given at
tention to the subject feel that there
will be little deviation from the esti-
mates of the Greenwich astronomers.
This gives reason to believe that the
predictions of the coming phenomen-
on will be substantially fulfilled,
Unfortunately the sun will be low,
even II Z p. m. be the hour, for the
sun will set at approximately 7:17
D. m. 1t Is believed, however, that
seventeen minutes will give the sun
sufficient altitude to enable the spec
tators to behold a wonderful spec
tacle. At the same moment astron-
omers from all parts of the world,
stationed here and there along the
Pacific coast, will hope to be able
to make valuable observations, which
will enable them to learn more than
has ever been discovered regarding
the historic comet.
AS the vagaries of comets are al
most as little understood as when
they were first observed by Persian
shepherds thousands of years ago,
the results of these observations may
prove disappointing. 1t is certain
that Tho ao,~0a4 ILL