Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1910-06-03
POINTERS ON COMETS
Interesting Facts That Were Un-
earthed 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"

Flood OF brilliant Li9ht SP0"
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
Argonaut. In which II was publlshed
a number of years ago:
The comet Is a kind OF Astronomical
parody on the planet Comets LOOK
some like planets, but they are INN
ner and do not hurt so hard when they
hit anybody as a planet does. Inc
comet was SO called because II had
hair on Il. I believe. but of late years
the baIdheaded comet is giving Just
as good satisfaction everywhere.
The characteristic features OF The
comet are a nucleus. nehulous ilGht
or coma and usually luminous tram
or tall worn high. Sometimes several
tails are observed on one comet. but
this occurs only In flush times.
When | was young | used to think
I would like to be comet In the sky
I'D above the world so high. with
nothing to do but loaf around and play
with the little new laid planets and
have a good time. but now can see
where | was wrong Comets also
have their troubles, their perihellons,
their hyperbolas and their parabolas. A
little over 800 years ago Tycho Brahe
discovered that comets were eXtrane-
GUS to our atmosphere. and since then
times have improved | can see that
trade is steadier and potatoes run less
to tops than they did before.
Soon after that they discovered that
comets all had more or less perlodicl'
ty. Nobody knows how they get It
All the astronomers bad 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 It at once.
II was an exciting time.
Comets sometimes i've to u 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. LOO years after It's
first grand farewell tour. Ike said that
1t was very we'll preserved indeed and
seemed to have retained all It's tacul-
ties In good shape.
| A late writer on astronomy said that
the substance of the neDuIoSity and
the tail Is of almost inconceivable
tenuity. He said this, and then death
came to his relief.
Another writer says OF the comet aud
its tail that the curvature of the tat
ter and the acceleration of the pc .iOdir
time In the case of En"ke's comet in
dictate theit being affected by resist
ing medium which has never been Oh
served to have the slightest influence
on the planetary periods"
| do mol fully agree with the emf.
nent authority. though he may be
right. Much fear has been the result
Of the comets appearance ever since
the world began. and 1t is as good a
thing to worry about as anything
know Of II we could get close to Il
comet without frightening II away we
would find that we could walk through
It anywhere as we could through the
erIa Of Irhf ",
should so live that we will not be
ashamed TO look comet In the eye
however. Let us pay up our newspa
per subscription and lead such lives
that when the comet strikes we will be
ready.
Some worry good deal about the
chances for big comet to pillow into
the sun some dark, rainy night and
thus bust up the whole universe.
wish that was all | bad TO worry
about-the comets crashing into the
sun and knocking Its daylights out.
There IL much In the great field OF
astronomy that Is discouraging to the
savant who hasn't the time or means
to rummage through the heavens Al
times | am almost hopeless and fee
like saying to the great. yearnful, hun
CRY world:
"Grope on forever. Do not ask me
for another scientific fact. Find it ou
yourself. Hunt up your own new laC
planets and let me have a rest. Never
ask me again to sit up all night auC
take care Of the newborn world Will,
you lie In bed and reck not"