Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-03-29
hALLEY,S COMET.

Heretofore the credulOuS world mas
been dependent upon the dictum of
the astronomers for information con-
cerning the approach of Halley's comet.
Until now it has been possible To fol-
low the movements Of the wanderer
only with the aid Of the most powerful
Telescopes Months ago the visitor was
sighted by the anxious watchers. 1t
was then only far-oGf wisp of fire in
the dim wilderness stretches of the
stars; and though the wise men in
the observatories have told us from
time to time that it was journeying
with wonderful velocity toward the
earth, we have almost lost patience
waiting for the celestial orch-bearer
to appear.
But at last the comet can be family
seen by early morning risers.
Good Friday, March %. was the time
fixed by mathematical calculation for
the tramp of the heavens 10 loom in
sight
1t will be visible all through the
month of April and will attain the
maximum Of brilliancy i'm May; but If
we expect to see it at any time during
the next few weeks. we must rise with
the larks and take advantage of the To-
cal conditions 1t will come into view
this week Just before sunrise and will
gradually melt into the deepening flood
of light; but it will continue to rise
earlier and earlier until May 10. at
which time, if we rise early enough,
we can view the comet leisurely for
two hours before the sun emerses
above the horizon.
AT the same time" says the comets
press agent. I'VE will see the beautiful
planet Venus, only 100000 miles dis
tant from the comet, shining with
brilliancy she will not equal again for
eight years. The two 80 near together
will make a wonderful sight. After
May 10, the comet gets lazy and rises
later and later each day until the
morning of May IS, when the sun will
be so close behind him that we may
not be able to see him at all during
the day the comet will rush across the
face of the sun directly between us
and the sun. a trip that will take him
several hours to make. During this
transit, we will surely pass right
through the comets tail but will prob
ably not be aware of it at the time.
As soon as he gets across and beyond
the edge of the sun he becomes an
evening sight
"Thcrefore, on the evening of May
Is, we should see the comet for Il few
minutes after sunset. on the 18th we
should have n fine sight of him. Then
for q week. setting later and later each
evening. he will treat us To the grand
est display of himself he will make this
visit. After that we will see him longer
and longer, as night follows night. but
steadily growing DINNER as he adds
million miles every hour or 50 that
passes to his distance from us: until
finally. in July possibly, this increasing
dimncss will fade into the total black
of celestial night and we Will see nm
no more
AlarmistS have been discussing the
possibilities of asphyXiation in the
event the tail of the comet should
sweep across the earth.
But there is no need of borrowing
trouble from this imaginary source Of
Several times the planet "n which We
live has passed through the tails ot
comets, so it is said, but II" one has
ever been the wiser until after the oc-
curcnce and no one has ever suffered |
from the consequences.
Gases i'm an extraordinary degree |
possess the power of diffusion; and |