The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-05-17
TAIL or COMET
To EhWRAP EARTH
Globe Must Pass Through
Several Million Miles of
Fiery Appendage
|
AERIAL FIREWORKS
TO BE ONLY RESULT
Scientists Declare Much Feared
Phenomenon Almost a Vacuum
and Hence Do Not Expect
Disastrous Results.

WASHINGTON. d. C., May IL
About seven million miles off into
space HaIley's comet Is performing
all sorts of lofty tumbling to-day and
Is hurrying toward old mother earth
Mt the rate Of some five million miles
every twenty-four hours. That Is, the
nearest point Of the comets TAFT rs
seven million miles away, and that
point will be wrapped about the
earth by tomorrow evening.
Out at the naval observatory. IN
the midst of telescopes. spectroscopes
and other queer-looking instruments.
Prof. Asaph Hall and his corps of
scientists spent several hours with
the comet this morning, charting Its
way through the sea of atmosphere.
According to Prof. Hall. the tail of
re comet win heat the earth Wed
nesday evening. and we will be fioun-
dering about in 1t the better part of
Wednesday night But the sky shafps
say there is no cause for apprehen-
sion, The noxious -yapors of the
tail. If 1t possesses any. will be I'M
able to penetrate the earth'S heavy
wrapping of atmosphere. and beyond
a few aerial fireworks and some IL
Illumination OF the sky, the comet viii
slide by without extraordinary incl
dent.
According TO the observations at
the naval observatory, the comet this
mornfr.s was possessed of eaudaf
appendage that scattered itself for
some ninety-two or ninety-three de-
grees along the heavenly way. This
means that the tail of the visitor Is
now some twenty-five million miles
long.
AS the scientists watched the tail
was first visible. A fan-shaped ray
of light climbed up over the horizon
lhortiy after 3 O'Clock this morning.
broadening and expanding as 1t arose
antil, when II circled laziiy into
sort of rainbow against fhe dark
sky, the flaming hall that marks the
cad and body OF the heavenly wan
derer hove into sight.
Tail Almost a Vacuum.
According to to-day's observations,
the earth viii have To pass through
some million miles OF the comet tall
The composition OF the tail. from
spectroscope readings. has been de-
termined to be almost vacuum.
caused by the rapid flight of the
comet through space. This tail. the
sky sharps estimate, contains less than
a single molecule or particle OF solid
why the scientists are Woodworking
about the contact of the tail with
the earth.
IF YOU could take a cubic mile
81 tae- comets tail.-aad- cnndeuse IL
to its solid dimensioa S. said Prof.
HALL to-day. "you would lose 1T
There would not be enough of 1t to
take notice Of"
Ii you want to See the comet to-
morrow night about 1880 or Ii
O'Clock is the time for You to get
out your telescope or field glasses or
opera glasses. Because at that time
will be visible TO the naked eye.
On Friday night the comet will be
right On a line with the sun, about
sunset. and will be invisible except
10 the astronomers.
On Saturday and Sunday nights.
Just after - ons down. Will be
,e best time of all to see the comet
1t will appeal tn.ae evenings just
:outh of the point in the western
sky where the sun sinks behind the
horizon. 1t will be brightest on thes
evenings, and wifi then steadily grow
DINNER, until 1t is driven out of sight
by new moon that viii appear about
tune 7. Three days after that there
will be no comet--for the earth.