The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-11-01
new COMET HEADED
TOWARD MOTHER
EARTH
Only Several Hundred Mil.
lion Miles Away at Pres
ent and Coming Fast

I&"oy
The new planet has been seen
Vienna and Copenhagen. 1t is not
known how close it will come to the
earth, but estimates place the distance
at about the same as the nearest star.
Most scientists who have learned of
the unnamed wanderer are of the
opinion that 1t will never touch the
earth.
Should the planet hit Grand Forks it
would be like dropping a flatiron off
the Security block on q poor unsus-
pecting flea. Just how big the planet
is has not been computed, o is it
known how the new body got into the
system. 1t is more than probable that
it is on some regular trip which takes
it a few million years to complete and
that its appearance at this time is
simply a greeting Of the ages. If this
is so 1t may pass by the earth again in
a couple Of million years or so, in
which event, astronomers cannot be
The latest bulletin from the Eu-
,,ropean ~observatories carries the en-
couraging news that the planet is
nearer the earth than Uranus and is
sweeping ear at the rate of millions
Of miles an hour.
Changes in Heavens.
Those interested in watching the
'AoNS " Ia ACoSS1o llufC Z AAdQS III.
ticed the change which has come
about within the past few weeks in the
appearance Of the sky. In the east it
has been growing continually more
brilliant as the bright winter groups
begin their steady upward march. AT
the present time the magnificent Tau
ris is high up from the horizon and
covers a large portion Of the eastern
heavens. Below this group is the
brilliant Gemini and Orion, both Of
which have almost entered the even-
ing sky. Next month the bright Dog
Stars will appear and by January Leo
will be in sight. The constellation Of
Leo is the last Of the winter groups.
The Planets.
AS to the planets, mercury passed
into the evening sky on October 90,
but as 1t does not reach its greatest
= distance east of the sun until Deem
Der z it can hardly be detected during
this month.
Venus Is drawing rapidly outward
from the sun into the morning sky,
and on November 26 it will reach its
greatest distance west, on which date
1t will rise more than three hours be-
fore sunrise. 1t now shines out no less
brilliantly In the morning than a few
weeks g it was seen to shine in
, will be seen to change from a crescent
shape to q half circle during this
month.
Mars and Saturn are high up from
the ground in the southeast, in ex-
cellent position for observation. The
strikingly bright red planet is NOV
} ing westward through Taurus, and
the more distane Saturn is moving far
} more slowly westward near the eastern
border Of Aries. The former planet
attains its nearest distance to us on
November II, at 6 a. M. at which time
it is but 1000. 900, Of miles away. 1t
will not, however. arrive at h point
of the celestial sphere exactly oppo-
! site the sun, and so be due south at
- Throughout November both Mars and
Saturn will be in the most favorable
! position for observation of the entire
year..
=. Jupiter. which has been drawing on
near the VI that it has no been Wis
behind that body and enter the morn
ing sky on November 1S.
Ursanus is very low in the south
west Neptune is In the constellation
Gemini. nearly in a line with the two
Twin stars, out too low down to be
easily found in the telescope before
midnight.
The Comets.
There are no less than three rather
bright comets which have recently
drawn near the u n and are 10Y not
far from the earth. The first Of these
is the bright comet Brooks, which was
so conspicuous in the northwest dur
which has now passed far below the
equator. and will hence never be seen
from here again. 1t is still visible to
- those situated OF the earth that they
can view the southern sky.
The second comet. unlike either Of
the two others. remains In the even
} ing sky throughout October and the
tunately. it will always be faint. and
can only be seen in a moderately large
telescope. When first found, on the
evening Of September 23, 1t was about
midway between the Pointers Of the
Great Dipper and the Polaris; 1t was
the eighth magnitude. During Octo-
Der it moved southwark and eastward
almost parallel to the Great Dipper,
but always about ten degrees above
It, reaching a point twelve degrees
due east Of Arcturas. Throughout all
Of this time it was quite high In the
wal very faint. During November 1t
will move almost exactly south
through Bootes. Serpens and Libra,
thus drawing near to the part of the
sky in which the third comet is to be
found. Toward the end of the month
1t passes he sun and enters the norm
ing sky.
The third comet was by far the
brightest and most interesting of all,
but unfortunately it remained always
30 very near the sun that it could only
be seen with difficulty. This was first
seen in the northeastern sky about
two hours before sunrise, q very little
way to the east of the bright star
Regulas. During October 1t passed
east of the sun across h constella-
lions Leo and Virgo. During Novem-
Der it will mov southwark across Lib
ra and throughout the entire length OF
Scorpio. reaching a point thirty de-
grees below the equator by the end Of
the month. Thus. while It may be de-
tected toward the beginning Of the
month very ow down in the twilight
glow OF the southwest. just after sun
set. 1t will always be too ear the sun
t ODE we'll seen. As long as 1t remains
In the northern sky 1t will be fully q
whole magnitude brighter than
Brooks comet. but 1t will only be
found with difficulty on account Of its
proximity to the sun.
AVIATOR LOSES LIFE.
Garden City. N. Y. Oct. SID.
ward 8. Fleet. Al aviator. at the Mas
sau Boulevard field. was burned to
death in his bed at his hotel last night.
He had been reading and fell asleep
with q lighted cigarette in his hand.
ONCE Supplies-Times.H Herald Pub.
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