Year: 1874

At an early hour this morning the comet
made its nearest approach to the sun. For
untold years, perhaps for centuries, drawn by
the attraction of the great orb OF day, this
visitor from unknown depths of space has
been flying with constantly augmenting speed
toward this turning-pOInt Ill its destiny.
Henceforward, for many, many years, perhaps
forever, it bids our sun farewell. For BRET
fortnight passing between us and the CEN
ter of the solar system, 1t will glow
with increasing brlliancy till 1t Is en-
wrapped and apparently blotted out by
the superior brightness of the sun. The
moment when it is between us and the
sun, July 20, is also that when 1t Is nearest
the earth. After that, while retreating into
outer space, it will long be seen by star gazers
in southern ATTITUDES; but never in the life
time of any of us will it be visible in tho
northern heavens again.


We should be less than human if we looked
upon this strange visitor from afar without
experiencing curiosity, interest, awe. If Its
contemplation lifts us for while from the
thoughts of earth to the mysteries of the fir
mament above us, the celestial stranger Will
not have come in vain. 1t is of course impOS-
sible to conceive of the vast spaces OF tho
skies, the numerals which represent them
convey no notion of their amplitude. But we
may gain some idea of the character of the
motions that take place within the solar system;
we can at all events recognize their direction
and their comparative speed. The diagram
on another page, used by our cor
respondent in answering criticism
upon his computations, will perhaps
convey to many of our readers new concep-
ton of the relative position and motion OF the
earth and the comet. To reconcile the diff
culties of representing their motions in different
planes, since the comet comes toward the earth
at an angle Compared with the latters motlon)
of sixty-six degrees, the diagram represents
the earths orbit as long ellipse, as 1t would
be if seen in perspective. And here we get
some notion of the movement of particles from
the comets head which so to form the tail.
Continually propelled from the sun, even for
days after they have left the comet yet sharing
in the orbtal motion they acquired when with
that body, they go out into space and viii
nearly enwrap our world. Are they realf IS
there anything material about them why DO
they defy gravity, and fly backward from the
SUM- These are the questions that the world
asks and science cannot answer.


There is q favorite notion that comets OF
long orbits visit other systems than that which
surrounds the sun, in their backward journeys.
Among the older writers on Astronomical sub
jects it was favorite flight of fancy 10 con-
ceive of comets as roaming among the con-
stellatons and perhaps revolving about distan'
suns. Possibly the extreme distances OF the
fixed stars were somewhat lost sight OF Id
these conjectures. Few people who have nov
given the subject special attention have muen
notion of the remoteness OF those points u
light, and have an underlined idea that thy
are but little further from the outermO's
planet of our system than it is from the sun.
Let us offer an illustration of their distances Il
the diagram on which the sun and earth "o
represented in this mornings TRIBUNE "eio
extended on the same scale so as to take III
the nearest fixed star eight thousand lkb'
UNEs would have to be laid side by sIde 70
furnish space for the cut. Eight thouSauu
more would be required TO note the diSlah0o
of the next nearest fixed star, which Is t"icc 80
far away The diagram thus unfolded "oulu
reach in the first instance from The TRIBUNE
office to Seventy -ffth-st., and III the se'oHu
to West Morrisania.