Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1910-05-18
We BUST THt COMETS
TAIL DURING TONIGHT
Viii! PunCture It Without
Trouble.
Heavenly Attraction is
Not Visible Again in
Several Days.

Today is a memorable one. TIL,
earth will be kept busy shaking the
dust of tie tail of Halley's comet out
of its eyes. Astronomers say that to-
niglt the world sweeping along
through space, will shoot the chute
through the vermiform appendix oi
gas that trails along a million or two
miles in the rear of the comet on
Sb mankind's attention is now cen
tered
Many people are becoming appre-
hensive at what is likely to happen
when the earth passe through the tail
of the comet tonight. According to
The best human calculations, nothing
is likely to happen. The tail of the
comet, while diffused over sufficient
space for the earth to be completely
enVeloped in it, is SO very thin in
substance that the whole of it might
be compressed within a few cubic feet.
Certainly the entire nebulous mass
might be comfortably housed in an
ordinary room The brush of the
earth thorugh the tail of the comet
will occur between 10 o'clock this
evening and 3 o'clock tomorrow morn
ing The motion of the comet being
a little irregular, it is impossible to
determine the precise hour when the
earth will enter the envelope.
Prussic Acid Formation.
WHle Halley's comet is credited
with being loaded with cyanogen gas,
dangerous constituent when mixed
in proper proportions with the at
mosphere of the earth, the tail of
the comet probably carries it in such
infinitely small quantities, if at all,
that the danger is practically elm
mated Cyanogen is composed Of
carbon and nitrogen and is known N
chemistry as a compound radical.
When mixed in the proportion with
the hydrogen of the air it forms prus-
sic ac.d, one of the most deadly pois-
ons known.
Cyanogen is nearly twice as heavy
as air. For this reason it is highly
improbable that the heavy molecules
Of the gas would be drawn away from
the head of the comet into the appen-
dage of it's tail Almost invariably
it is said, the tails of comets are com
posed of hydro-carbon gases-chief-
ly marsh gas and olefiant gas. Neither
of these is particularly dangerous un-
less breathed in large quantities. The
gases forming the tail of comets are
inconceiYably thin. Even if such gases
were of a poinonous nature there
probably would be no danger to life
on earth in the present instance.
Not First Experience.
In 1851 the earTh did actually pass
through the tail of comet, but no.
body knew it until it was all over.
Not the slightest eject was observed
at the time that might be attributable
to the comet. AS only a few cubic
feet of gas will be encountered by
the earth in it's passage through the
tail of the comet tonight, there need
be not the slightest apprehension of
any dire result from the encounte
Cyanogen gas in itself is not so dan
gerous. 1t is colorless to the eye
and carries peculiar, pungent odor
very similar in character to that en-
anating from bruised peach leaves.
The only difference observable in
the passage of the earth through the
tail of the comet, if any is, will be
in the nature of electrical disturb
ances or discolorations in the skies.
1t is possible that the aurora borealis
VIII appear in the northern skies. But
it will not be observed in this vi
cinity. A rosy glow may be seen in
the heavens and there may be an
early morning thunder storm.
The comet is not now visible and
will not be for probably five or six
days to come. The comet now rises
in the twilight between darkness and
daybreak, the rays of the sun obscur-
ing and hiding it from view to the
naked eye. 1t is probable it will not
be seen again until it makes its ap-
pearance in the evening sky in the
west.
1t is possible that the comet might
be observed again about the 23rd, but
the brightness of the moon, which will
be at it's full on that date, will prob
ally obscure the comet then as the
sun obscures it now. During the laE-
ter days of next week, according to
astronomers, the comet should be very
distinctly seen in the west before the
moon rises 1t is hardly worth while
to look for it again until the evening
of the oath or 25th, it is now an
ncunced.
/