The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1921-06-30
HOBO OF HEAVENS
PROVES BASHEUL.
'0ns- W inneckS Discovery Now Be
iieNed tn be Outward Bound
Through Space.

Cambridge, Mass, June 27-Seyer-
al weeks OF intimacy with this solar
system nave had such an effect on
the Pons- Winnecke comet that il
las changed its itinerary and de-
parted from its orbit. the Harvard OBJ
seNatory announced today
The change in the comets plans
has been caused by plantary influ-
ehces. and as result the predicted
t'eteoric showers are not now likely
20 fall. Solon l. Bailey, acting direc-
tor OF the observatory, asserted.
AS far as we have learned no
| showers have Yet occurred and it is
unlikely that any will take place. ="
Mr.. Bailey said
The comet he added. is now out
ward bound through space.
Inc expected meteoric shower from
the swish Of the tan of the comet.
ns-Winnecke, predicted by as
iuonomers for either last night or to-
night. was not visible TO the naked
eye in COLUMBIA last night. despite
the eager watching of hundreds of
amateur observers The comet.
which yesterday passed within l2.-
/ 100000 to 20,000.0ooo miles of the
eftth, was not expected to be seen
without the aid of fair telescope,
Icing OF approximately the firth mag
htude. The heavenly pyrotcchnics
are supposed to be causd by the
swish OF the comets 100000 mile
tail which is now streaming toward
the earth, pushed away from the sur
as the comet has come within III,
N inf
causes the tail TO flow away from tn,
tanning nucleus on the side opposlt,
the sun.
The comet was discovered by Jear
Louis Pons, a French astronomer. in
1919, taking its name after its dis
icoverer, who had the honor of frs
locating 81 of these "tramps of tn,
solar system In 1869 Winnecke
another astronomer, rediscovered
the wanderer and Immediately labeled
Ut Winnecke's comet. Pons-W Winnecke
as ii is now known. is one of tn,
most frequent visitors to the sun
balliwick in the universe. returninj
every 5.67 years. Encke's comet. ais,
first discovered by Pons, is one o
the best known hairy stars" be
!, inE especially remarkable for III
TACT of its frequent returns, requirin
only 3.29 years to complete its orbi
: out into space and back again int,
, the range of earth's telescopes.
= Encke'S has the shortest periot
| among known periodic comets. bu
there are at least four other of thes
celestial hoboes which are more fire
qLent visitors 10 the sun. These are
) Tempel III which covers its orbit il
5:2S years; Tempel-Swift, with a pc
riod of 5.51 years; Brorsen. which
returns every $50 years and De NicC
which has Il period of 5.66. only one
-hundredth of a year less thar
the period of Winnecke. which
had IT not been affected by its clos,
passage to the earth and other plan
cts OF the solar system, would haV,
been due TO return again i'm 1927
/ Thrown off its orbit. as astronomers
think, ii Will now perhaps Join the
lesions OF lost comets that after gain
ling records for punctual returns
nave suddenly passed close TO some
planet to be thrown off thcir regular
orbits leaving the solar system. bound
fOr destinations unannounced. Jupi-
ter. many times larger than the Garth.
has heretofore proved itself The par
tiCular comet siren in the suns fam
: lily and has lurcd many of The solar
t"mpS TO change their course and
wander Oft into the unknown reaches
Of the universe