Year: 1874

Last nlght was murKy ana tne Dlue Vauit staIE
comet and all were screened from observation.
This was pity, because, according to the calcu-
latons OF the astronomers the tail should have
undergone such an elongation as to oe visible to
the most naked eye. Some conspiracy is on foot
among the jealous consultations Of the heavens
to deprive Us OF square, honest look
at her Celestial Highness. That they are envious
OF the admiration which both hemispheres OF this
globe are now paying to the nebulOus stranger is
evident from the conduct OF the Great Bear.


THE GREAT BEARS NOSE.


The comet 1t would seem, pulled the nose Of the
Great Bear and everything has been topsy-turvy
in the heavens since then. The Twins
have been very troublesome, dstracting
the attention OF the comet ever and anon
from her regular course and for the Lion, he
has been laying IN wait for years past to pounce
upon the tail OF the comet. The great friend OF
the latter was Mercury. Only for him 1t is hard to
say what might nave become OF her. But she Is
all right now and intends 10 keep 30 for the re-
mainder OF her journey.


AMONG THE PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH.


The natives Of Bucks county. Pennsylvania, are
greatly exercised over the cOmetary visitation.
They are well aware that Andrew Jackson Is now
President OF the United States and they fear that
the appearance OF this comet means war on the
Generals part against England, France and Russia.
Tne German residents of Bucks county are troubled
with q superstitious belief that the comet means
the mighty shade OF Napoleon l. coming back from
st. Helena to avenge the bunders OF his nephew.
In the South it is thought the return OF Jen Davis
and the appearance OF the comet make an ominous
coincidence.


ENGLISH ROYALTY ON THE COMET.


The Prince OF Wales was approached BY re-
porter in London and asked hls opinion Of the
comet. He said he had none to give; but his
brother, the Duke OF COnnaught, VINO was well &C
quainted with Brian Boroihme, whose star, as Tom
Moore said, never on the battlefield had set,
might furnish all the desired Information.
Tae Duke OF Connaught said he had seen the
Great Bear in his last visit to Russia and quite
number OF minor CONSIDERATIONS, but hang him II
he saw any comet. II, as he observed, they intend
to make me permanent Lord Lieutenant OF Ire
land, shall study up the subject.


A THIN TAIL


Professor Chapman says that the light OF the tail
any spectrum Of 1t. When telescope is directed
to the tail the worst OF it Is you see through It.


9S see mo s ne oeS 1n aue
employ the more you don't see anything at ALL
PRINCIPLE OF THE SPECTRUM.
The principle OF the spectrum is IN need OF some
explanation According to one astronomer every
substance In nature may be burned. While 1t Is
burning 1t gives out a light whose wave length is
dinerent nom every other substance. The waves
OF one burning substance therefore, travel more
I quickly than those OF another burning sub
stance, and this difference Is detected by the
prism. Those that travel fastest go to the violet
end Of the prism, and those which travel sOwest
ties going to the blue. green and yellow. II this
were all, however, the spectrum would oe OF little
| use In science. BuJ CneSe lactS are supplemented
| by one OF O most remarkable character Where
! light has to pass through the vapor Of any SUBJ
! stance dark line appears in the place where the
| bright line would appear II the substance were
| incandescent The dark lines in the solar spec
! trum, therefore, prove to rs not only that iron,
Soda gold, potassium, &c. are burning IN the sun,
! but that the sphere OF light Is surrounded by q
cloud composed OF the vapOrs OF all these bodies.
! WHAT THE DUDLEY OBSERVATORY THINKS.
We have an observatory at Albany called the
Dudley Observatory, aud the whole force Of the
institution concluded the evening before last
that, as seen In the equatorial telescope, the
tail had q length Of three and One-half de-
grees, or about seven times the diameter
| Uf the moon. The nucleus was bright as =
star OF the fourth magnitude. AS noticed in
| several previous comets the nucleus was not in
| the centre OF the head but eccentricay situated
In the suns direction, and was fan-shaped, with the
apex. which is the brightest part toward the TAIL
Surrounding this nucleus Is the coma or envelope
oil milky color. which Is elongated in q direction
from the sun into TAIL The tail spreads out quite
wide, and near Its end several stars Oi the eighth
and tentn magnitude are distinctly seen through
1t. On the side OF the nucleus opposite to the un
is dark streak OF the width OF the nucleus divd-
ing the tail for about Onethird OF its length These
telescope appearances similar to what vas
seen in the great comet OF 1858.


The nucleus, from which the cOmetarv matter
1ows, has the appearance Of emitting from its
brightest portion q stream OF material which
takes the form OF gas fame OF fan shape, and
which gradually loses It's brlliancy until it s lost
in the coma, making 1t impossible to decide where e
1t ceases.