The Washington herald., 1910-05-18
HALLEY'S COMET TODAY.
No Danger Threatens Earth from
Tail" of Dihused Sunlight.
From Golfers

] RON NolieT 4,
When Halley's comet on May Is
passes between the earth and sun. and
tho earth. during the time the comet is
transmitting the suns disk. is swept by
the celestial searchlight. there will be
no danger to the earth from the "talT'
| Of diffused sunlight. but there may no
danger from the focal point as It sweeps
across rays Of sunlight which # con-
! dcnses.
The gaseous head Of the comet. any,
where from twelve to twenty times the
size OF the earth. acting as a great lens.
must bring 10 a focal point somewhere
| IN space. the rays OF sunlight which r.
| condenses.
II this focal point should reach the
earth's surface. 1t would sweep a path %
feryN destruction along the zone II trav-
eled. Yet. as the comet and earth arc
moving in opposite directions and the
earth's speed Is. roughly. $500 miles an
hour. that OF the comet being ar5out % 0N0
miles an hour. the time Of passage Of
this focal point over the earth's surface
could not be more than six hours nor
cover more than 90 degrees Of longitude.
or a distance OF one-quarter Of the earth's
circumference
Fortunately there are few centers %
population in the zone traversed. Next
co City and Bombay, India, are almost
in line, but the only heavily inhabited
regions are those OF India. Siam. AMMAN
Luzon, and Hawaii. This does not mean
that any of these places are 10 be de-
stroyed by the flaming focal point OF
the comet. Far from a. The comet
would have 70 be many times its present
size, much nearer the earth. and Of
greater density. TO he able 10 condense
sunlight IN the manner in which. by
using a lens Of glass. the localized rays
Of sunlight may be made to volatilize
metals
From the rays Of sunlight forming the
tail OF the comet there IS no danger to
the earth. The only effect Of these. as
light VIII be TO cause an extra brilliant
day or light night. But in the extra
rays Of invisible solar force. transmitted
10 the earth by the comet, may be a
cause for earth tremors, storms, and
other phenomena.
The passage Of every comet between
the earth and sun is always accompanied
by such disturbances.
II we compare the solar system 10 a
watch, Of which the sun is the main
spring and the planets the works, Il is
quite evident that any abnormal body
entering this solar watch would be bound
TO disturb its regular motion, and this
disturbance would depend solely on the
size and density Of the abnormal BODY.
The comparison Is crude. since It refers
only to motion. and it is a well-estab-
lished fact that comets have no effect
on the motion Of the earth on its axis
or orbit
Ordinarily. the earth receives only an
inhnitesimal amount Of the energy radl-
ated from the sun. but II between the
sun and earth Is interposed a rapidly
moving sphere Of gas, acting as a lens,
and capable OF focusing extra solar
force on 1t, It is quite evident that the
earth must adjust Itself 10 absorb this
extra force in some manner. The atmos-
pheric vapors may do II by condensing
Into clouds, haze. or fog, thus shielding
the earth from the extra light rays; but
If the invisible solar force rays pass
through the earth as N-rays through
Opaque substances. the only adjustment
possible TO the earth ia n Encouragement
Of its molecular parts equaling in ener-
gy the extra solar energy in which the
earth is temporarily hathed. Thus come
earth tremors and quakes auroras. dis
turbances Of the atmospheric shell re-
sulting is storms. fogs. strong winds.
and electrical disturbances, and
an unusually sensitive chemical condition
in which potentially explosive com
pounds. having their slight stability up
set. blow up without apparent cause.