The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1910-05-17
ALL WATCH FOR
THE COMET

passing, tomorrow, OF f1alleyS COM
ct between the sun and the earth
is an event awaited with unusual in
terest rot alone by astronomers in
all parts of the world, but by the
lay folk as well. While the men be-
hind the telescopes look forward to
the transit of the comet merely with
the intense interest evoked by any
rare and scientifically important phe-
nomenon in the sphere of astronomy,
the interest of the "unscientific"
masses is not altogether free from
more or less fear of the possible con-
sequences of the coming event. The
authoritative statement that on May
Is the earth would pass through the
tail of the comet, together with the
fact that the divergent theories of
the astronomers concerning the ma
ture of the comets tail confused the
masses and led them to lend a GER
tain amount of credence to the most
absurd and alarming vagaries of ig-
norant and superstitious sensation
alists, is responsible for the dread
with which some persons anticipate
tomorrow's phenomenon.
Halley's comet, the transit of
which will be observed tomorrow
moves in an eccentric and elliptical
orbit around the sun. At the ire
mendous speed with which the comet
travels it requires about seventy
five years to complete its course.
This is not the first time that Hal
ley's comet has been visible to the
inhabitants of the earth but, what
makes it's visit this year of special
interest to astronomical science is
the fact that tomorrow the erratic
wanderer of the skies will present
itself under conditions which have
never been observed before. The
comet will pass between the sun
and the earth ana it will be posi-
BILE to make observations that may
give a clue to the composition of the
comet. The orbit of the comet ap-
parently intersects that of the earth
at two points. The first point of
intersection was passed by the COM
ct some time ago, the second will
be reached in a few days. Having
passed it's perihelion the comet is
now approaching the earth's orbit at
speed of about 1000 miles min
ute. Tomorrow it will reach not on
ly the point of greatest proximity to
the earth but also a position which
brings it in direct line with the
earth and the sun. AS the comets
tail, whatever may be its compost
ton, is pointing away from the sun,
it is quite probable that the earth
will pass through the rarified por-
tons of it. Astronomers and ply
sicists have advanced many diverg-
ent theories as to the effect which
the passing through the comets tail
may have upon the earth, but there
is absolutely no reason to expect
more than perhaps some slight mod
ification of the atmospheric condi-
tions, as result of which the sun,
at the time of the comets transit,
may appear yelled in a mist or haze
of reddish or yellowish tinge. Twice
before this, in comparatively recent
times, the earth passed through the
tails of comets and the only pheno-
menon which indicated that fact was
a similar haze, through which the
sun appeared of a reddish tinge.
Halley's comet was discovered by
Edmund HALEY, an English astrono-
mer (born 1856 and died 1742), in
1905. HALEY was the son of soap
manufacturer in London and received
his education at Oxford. He devel-
opei a great love for astronomy land
devoted himself to his favorite sci
ence After leaving college he spent
two years on the island of st. Hele-
ma, preparing a catalogue of the
stars. In 1903 he became professor
of geometry in Oxford and, while
holding that position he discovered
the comet named after him. He
made careful computations upon the
basis of which he maintained that
his comet was identical with the
comet observed by Apian in 1884
and by Kepler and Longomontanus
in 1907. He calculated the time
which the comet consumed in COM
pleting it's orbit at about seventy
five years and predicted that the
comet would again be visible in
1853, which proved to be correct.
In recognition of his valuable work
in the field of astronomy HALEY was
appointed Astronomer Royal in 1921,
which position he held to his death.
His comet has been observed repeat
eddy since then, but never under