The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1910-05-17
POINTERS ON COMETS
Interesting Facts That Were Un-
earihed by Bill Nye.
HIS STUDY OF SKY SCIENCE.

The Humorist's Researches Shed
Flood Of Brilliant Light Upon the
Peculiar Traits Of the Astronomical
Parodies on the Planets"
The famous American humorist. Bill
Nye, wrote the following article on the
traits of comets for the San Francisco
ArgoDaut. In which 1t was published
number of years ago:
The comet is kind of astronomical
parody on the planet. Comets look
some like planets, but they are thin
ner and do not hurt so hard when they
hit anybody ms planet does The
comet was SO called because ii had
hair on il. ! believe, but of late years
the bnldhended comet Is giving just
as good satisfaction everywhere
The characteristic features of the
comet are n nucleus. nebulous light
or coma and usually luminous train
or tail worn high Sometimes several
tails are observed on one comet, but
this occurs only in flush times.
When ! was young ! used to think
| would like TO be comet in the sky.
up above the world so high, with
nothing TO but loaf around and play
with the little new laid planets and
have good time, but now ! can see
where ! was wrong. Comets also
have their troubles. their perihelions
their hyperbolas and their parabolas. a
little over 300 years ago Tycho Brahe
discovered hat comets were eztrane-
Gus TO our atmosphere, and since then
times have improved. ! can see that
trade is steadicr and potatoes run less
to tops than they did before.
Soon after that they discovered thar
comets all nad more or less periodici-
ty. Nobody knows how they get It.
All the astronomers had been watch
ing them day and night and didn't
know when they were exposed. but
there was no time to talk and argue
over the question. There were 200 or
300 comets all down With 1t at once.
1t was an exciting time.
Comets sometimes live to great
age This shows that the night air Is
not so injurious to the health as many
people would have us believe. The
great comet of 1850 Is supposed to
have been the one that was noticed
about the time of Caesars death. "A
b. O., and still when 1t appeared In
Newton's time, I.70O years after its
first grand farewell tour. Ike said that
It was very well preserved indeed and
seemed TO have retained all Its facul-
ties in good shape.
A late writer On astronomy said that
the substance. of the nebulosity and
the tail Is Of almost inconceivable
tenuity. He said this, and then death
came to his relief.
Another writer says OF the comet and
Its tail that 1.-The curvature Of the lat
\ ter and the acceleration OF the periodic
time In the case Of Encke's comet In
dicate their being affected by resist
Ing medium which has never been OBJ
served to have the slightest influence
on the planetary periods"
] do not fully agree with the emf
nent authority. though he may bt
right. Much fear has been the result
OF the comets appearance ever since
the world began, and It is as good {
thing To worry about as anything
know of. II we could get close to {
comet without Frightening II away W,
would find that we could walk through
1t anywhere as we could through tn,
glare of torcblight procession. W.
should SO live that we will not b,
ashamed 10 look d comet In the eye
however. Let us pay up our newspa
per subscription and lead such live
that when the comet strikes we will b.
ready.
Some worry good deal about tn
chances for II big comet TO plow Int,
the sun some dark. rainy night an'
thus bust up the whole universe.
wish that was all had to wOrr,
about--the comets crashing into tn
sun and knocking its daylights out,
There Is much In the great field o
astronomy that IL discouraging TO tn
savant who hasn't Nhe time or mean
TO rummage through the heavens. A
times | am almost hopeless and fee
like saying 10 the great, yearnful, hun
cry world:
"Grope On forever. DO not ask IN
for another scientific fact. Find 1t ou
yourself. Hunt up your own new lai
planets and let me have rest. Neve
ask ME again TO sit up all night an
take care of the newborn world Will
you lie I'm bed and reck not"
----s~-..ss-~------------~
Poeketsd ths Silver.
There is an amusing anecdote re
. gardlng Lord Crewe how on one occa
} sion at a charitable entertainment b
leaned against corridor wall an
went fast asleep with his hat in hi