Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-02-14
HALLEY,s COMET.

|
Considerable interest is manifested
by readers OF the News in the comet
that is expected to pay the earth a
visit in the near future One CORES
| pondent asks whether the comet Is now
visible to the unalded eye also In
which constellation 1t Is to be found,
and where 1t is located in the evening
at . p. m.
A specially prepared article on this
subject will appear. shortly, in the
News" Meantime. VIC give the general
information most applicable nt this
| time In a popular way, to the recent
| comet appearances that have aroused
general interest
The great comet seen in the evening
after sunset near the western horizon
was an unexpected wanderer that ap-
peared in January OF tho present year.
1t challenged the attention of all be-
holders. being plainly visible to the
naked eye. and promised to rival In
popular interest the great comets of
1881 and 1882. Thus far We have failed
to learn that 1t has been identified as
one previously known. 1t was first
noticed by observers in South Africa on
Jan. 18th and nth From such OBJ
servations as have already been made
public, It is supposed that this comet.
II Its course does not curve too rapid
ly. would pass through the constella-
ton of Pegasus into Andromeda with
in two weeks. and by this time 1t may
have done so.
Hnlleys comet during December was
a little south of the constellation AL
derbaran. 1t could not then be seen
by tho naked eye. This comet will
brighten rapidly. owing to its nearer
approach to the earth. during Febru-
ary and March. and Will undoubtedly
become visible to the naked eye after
sunset before 1t sinks into Its twilight
stage In March. when 1t will approach
within six degrees of the sun. After
this conjunction it will come rapidly
out of the moving twilight. and viii
soon become visible to the naked eye
toward the east for a short time before
sunrise each morning.
During December the comet became
bright enough to be seen with small
telescopes. The comet may possibly
be visible to some eyes now. but will
be seen. we suppose. to the best ad-
vantage a little later. When nearest
to Venus, 1t is thought that good
idea may be obtained of the relative
size OF the comet and OF the Earth |
l., Oh
the Earth and the comparison of the |
dimensions of tho comet with those OF |
Venus will afford the necessary data |
for estimating the size OF the comet as |
compared with our planet For this |
reason alone the present appearance |
will probably be not inferior in in |
terest and brillancy to that of 1859 |
About May 20. Halley's comet win |
reach Its perihelion. or the turning
place in its Journey around the sun;
but II Will be nearest to the Earth
about May IS, when 1t seems likely to
pass between the Earth and the sun |
For a few weeks before and after that |
date. astronomers expect that 1t will |
be visible to the naked eye For a few
of the days. or nights It may be a
magnificent object In the skies.
Hnlley's comet was the first whose /
period OF revolution was calculated or
even suspected. Newton, having dis
covered the cause of the motion OF the
planets around the sun, predicted that
the return OF comets also might be
expected. HALEY then searched the
records and found that In 1852. In 1881.
and in 1907. similar comets had an
peared. and he stated that they we're.
pearances OF the same comet He an
nounccd also that it would reappear in
1854 prediction that was verified
by the event. 1t returned again In
1885. Its temperance In 1910 has been
announced ever since that date. and II
is now here justlfying anew the cor
rectness Of the computations of the
astronomers
The unexpected appearance of its
present companion near the sun. shows
that comets hitherto unknown may be
expected at any time and In any part
of the heavens. The number whose
return can as yet be predicted is very
small as compared with tho number
of new ones continually being discov-
cred Astronomers have divided the
sky into zones for comet seeking. Small
telescopes. even good opera glasses, arc
sufficient to enable any one to become
the discovercr OF comet Ii dis
covery is made. II should be Immod-
lately telegraphed to some observatory.