The Washington herald., 1922-07-03
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COMETS ExPECrED
AND UNExPECTED.


Astronomers have had their
telescopes all set for eight periodic
comets due TO arrive this year. but
none Of the expected visitors have
put In their appearance up 20 nov.
Two unannounced sky-travelers
have come into view, however, ana
both have been spotted by the Cape
of Good Hope Observatory In Africa
The latest hnd is Skjelierup's
comet, which the Cape astronomers
report they located on May 1T.
They considered " new and hereto
fore unseen. But shortly after they
sent the news OF their discovery 70
American astronomers. Prof. A o.
Leuschner. Of the students Oh
servatory. Berkeley. Cal. declared
that the orbit Of the comet as COM
puted by Profs. Crawford and
Meyer. of his stan. shows that 10 II
very similar TO that OF Grigg's
comet of 1902. Astronomers now
believe that the two are the same
object and that the name skJellerup
must be simpiifed to GrigEs. Fu-
ture returns OF this comet are 90
4 be expected. though like all short
I period comets IL is a faint object
/ and will be visible only in the tele-
scope. II is now passing rapidly
through the northern heavens from
Canes venatici into Ursa Major
! just below the handle Of the Big
Dipper.
The first comet Of the year, called
the Cape comet, was discovered on
January 20 and was later found on
a Photographic plate taken with
the Bruce telescope at the Yerkes
/ Observatory. II has remained
telescope object, being at no time
/ brighter than the tenth magnitude
q. OF the eight comets that may re-
turn in 1922. Brorsen's short-period
| comet has not been seen since 1873
and Barnard's comet. known as
1884 II. has not been found at any
| Of its returns since lssl. 30 IL Is
improbable that either Of these
comets will be found this year.
De Vico's and Brorsen's long
period comets which are members
of Neptune's family OF comets and
have periods OF about seventy-hve
years are expected this year. but
theJe is an uncertainty Of several
yesfs in their periods.
Metcalf's comet. 1906 VI. has a
period of rs years and so Is due
this year, but it's elements also are
uncertain Tsylor's comet. 1915 I,
is due 10 arrive at perihelion the
middle Of June. but as IL will be on
the far side OF the sun IL is poorly
placed for observation and Il is not
likely that it,will be discovered.
Daniels comet, 1903 ". was not
eeen at its return in 1916 when II
was unfavorsbly placed for obser-
walton. but IL is expected that il
will put in an appearance the lat
ter part of this year. II is due at
perihelion in October and will be
4 In excellent position for observs-
ton by September.
4 Perrine's comet. 1896 VII. with .
period Of six and a half years is
also due at perihelion this fall and
should now be in the constellation
Of Perseus, passing later in the
year into Auriga and Gemini. when
at Perihelion on October / Il will
be 30 degrees from the sun and
about half as far from the earth a.
from the sun and should be picked
UP without any difficulty by that
time.
, At teast two periodic comets.
then, will be most favorsbly placed
for observation this fall and there
is a possibility that two or three
more periodic comets may put in an
appearance before the year is over,
aside from the possibility that ad-
ditional new comets may be dis
covered.-By Isabel NJ. Lewis, Of
L. S. Naval Observatory.