Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-05-18

Fair weather tonisht-watch for the
tail Of the comet
In spite of the somewhat murky con-
dttons which have obtained throughout
TIE day. the weather man this afternoon
made prediction that the skies will be
clear tonight. Wherefore-watch for the
comet.
Just once in seventy-five years-and
therefore. only once within the allotted
span OF three score years and ten (plus
five) of human life-does Halley's comet
cross the orbit OF the earth. And the
greatest event in the present passing of
the heavenly wanderer comes tonight.
Astronomers have repeatedly told the
rest of human kind that the earth would
pass through the tail of the comet
Wednesday, May IS. Careful calcula-
tons have demonstrated that the earth
will enter the tail at about IL 30 clock
tonight, and it is expected to emerge
about four hours later-probabiy none the
wiser for the experience.
Nothing Serious ia Happen.r.4
Scientists laugh to scorn all of the fears
ofashe- ~superstitious folk who see ii.sthe
coming of the Smssat the possible .'end of
the world" and il is declared by all OF
servatories of the country, that the great
mass or the people would have not the
slightest realization that anything out of
the ordinary was transpiring, ii the data
OF the astronomers had not become pub
lac property.
IL Is expected there may be a few
'streamers." or shooting stars, but there
Will be no disturbance of the terrestrial
atmosphere and no immediate evidence
that Haliey's seventy-dye-year visitor has
come and gone.
After tomorrow night, or probably on
Friday night for the first time the comet
will be visible in the western heavens,
and thenceforward for a couple of weeks
it will gradually grow smaller to human
view. then smaller to telescope view until
II has raced out Of earthly knowledge for
another swing OF seventy-four years, nine
months. three weeks. six days. four hours
and fifty-three minutes around the un-
known reaches Of the universe.
Comet Parties Tonight.
Comet parties are decidedly the proper
thing for tonight, and it is expected every
roof garden and most of the public parks
bridges and other places which afford un-
obstrGcted views of the heavens will be
much in demand. The comet itself will
not te visible. because IL happens to be
filing d long-standing engagement to
cross the face of the sun around on the
visual evidence OF the nearness Of Hal
leys shooting star. so far as Washington
and Washingtonians may be concerned
viii be a series OF auroraI flashes across
tho heavens and few thin, fiery stream
crs in the sky.
The visit of HalIeys comet has proved
a great source of worry TO the SuperSti-
iious Any number OF predictions have
been made that the end of the world is
at hand-sll OF which are dubbed mere
bosh by the astronomers.
People IN every walk of life are inter-
-sted IN the wandercr of the wide spaces
ar the universe. and comet conversation
IS the rule of the hour everywhere.
Expects No Fireworks.
According TO Edwin Fairfax Naulty.
are Of the leading authorities in the coun-
try on cometic phenomenon. the public
generally will be much disappointed to-
night at the failure of the heavens to pro-
duce skyrockets. roman candles and other
sizzlers-
Mr.. Naulty is the originator OF the
theory that the comet is really a great
concentrate solar force just as reading
glass Will focus the suns RAYS in a mini
ature cone of briliancy. II Is a part of
Mr. Nanlty's belief that the only real
erect the comet viii have upon the earth
will De exactly in the ratio ill which it
defects ur reflects solar force. For en-
ample he has declared that many natu-
Iai phenomena. such earthquakes
hurricanes. volcanic eruption3 etc. could
readily be attributed TO the efforts of the
earth TO rcadjust itself to new conditions
which have been producd by any sub
traction from or addition to the solar
force which bears upon this globe
In this class ne puts the San Francisco
earthquake, the Costa Rican earthauake
of more recent history, and similar cata-
clysmic events.
May Be After-Effects.
The chain OF least resistance such as
the zone of the Mediterranean and the
Pacific slope. Mr.. Naulty thinks, will
again show that his theory is right when
Halley's comet begins to move away
from the earth.
This effect. he says. will not come for
at least a couple OF days, for time is an
element in the solar force reaching the
earth, but he has offered a prediction
that some evidence of the power which
the comet has concentrated will be mani
fest within forty-eight hours after the
star which made Haley famous begins
10 slide down the western horizon.
TAIL TAGGING BEHIND.