The Washington times., 1910-05-19
American and Foreign As
tronomers, Declare Appen-
dage VIII Come Tonight.
SOME SAY EARTH
IS TWICE VISITED
Theory That Curve Is So Great L
Missed. This Sphere Is
Upheld.

A curve in the tail OF Hauey-s comet
has upset all calculations, and. accord
ing to some astronomers, the earth has
passed through the comets tail twice
within the past twenty-four hours
may not pass through it at all, and
stiH others declare the trip through the
tail began at o'clock this morning
Observations taken az the Naval OBJ
servatory and at several observatorIes
throughout the country, show that the
planet earth last night passed through
the comets tail once, coming within the
semicircIe. and that this morning an
other four or fve hours was spent with
in the caudel apPe-dage Of the astral
visitor
Passes Two Times.
Observations. according 10 some
astronomers. 90 10 prove that the
earth last night passed through the
less dense parts Of the comets tail.
but that the main part was curved
away. so that the earth passed
through II AT a later hour According
70 Prof Han OF the Naval Ob-
servstory, the earth last night came
out on the inside Of the semicircIe Of
the comets tail and this morning
passed through the other portion Of
il. Prof. Hall said
The tail Of the comet was seen
just z little before 2 o'clock this
morning just about the time the
moon was getting low IN the sky, by
Prof Morgan A little later several
other persons connected with the OBJ
1
the idea Of trying 10 see any possible
meteor1c flashes. also saw the tail.
which extended from below the hori-
zOn almost Up TO the milky way or
nearly so degrees
Tail Seen II East.
The probable explanation OF thIs ap-
pearance OF the tan is thar the earth
should have passed through II about O.
little after 1919 O'Clock last nigrt, but
instead the tail was seen in the East
This was probably due 70 the fact that
the earth did actually pass through
some Of the less dense parts OF the tail.
but the main part was curved away so
that the earth passed through Il some
hours later, tne particular time not be-
ing known
Professor Henry Norris Russell OF
Princeton on the other hand. asserts
that the earth did not pass through the
comets tail last night, but that the
long expected contact between the two
bodies began at eight clock this morn
ing
bE Harvard authorities. Astronomers
there declared today that If the earth
goes through the comets tai al all it
VIII make the trip some tine today or
Wasted vigiIs.
Last nights vigi3s were wasted ef-
forts, according TO these and other sci
entists whose calculations they agree
I in. as the curvature IN the comets ap-
pendage was not known and ccnse-
qusntly not allowed for IN the figures
that indicated tlat the earth last night
would sweep through a million miles,
more CT less OF the comets iupalpable
aftermath.
Prot 9. C Wendell. the Harvard. to
day said.
we Obtained no data last nfghs OF any
{ importance I have always C0htendeI
that the tail Of Halley's comet Jagged
Z far behind the nucleus think that we
viii pass through the tail OF the comet
some time today If we pass through il
al al
Can Be Seen Tonight.
An English astronomer Dr. Commel-
len, who with Dr. Croweu. another
noted astronomer. is at the Greenwich
/ Observatory, in England. believes that
he viii pass through the tail Of the
Ccmet as late as tonight
These two men have both studied
( Halley's comet carefully, and have cal
/ culated its orbit around the sun and ser
tho time for our passage through the
fiImy tail There is some doubt OF our
passage through the tail al all as the
tail lies in a curved and sweeping posi-
t ton. The length Of time required to
/ pass through the tail is purely proble-
matfCaI Tonight the tail OF the comet
should be seen lying 10 valonS the west
crn horizon about fifty minutes after
sunset The nucleus Of the comet may
be seen tonight. but is IS probable that
IL Will be involved in the twilight"