THE COMET.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 820, 18 May 1910, Page 6

THE COMET.

'what is its tail composed of? an uvtebesting theory. "H.W." writes as follows:—As we are told by scientists that on Thursday we shall pass through the tail of the comet, that interesting adjunct naturally arouses a , goml deal of speculation: We are assured that it will do us no harm because it is =o attenuated, and so on. It is aiilicnlt to iiiui:;iiu; anything coinjxKi.'d oi' oartitles which can be seen ii'illioiii of miles away swi-euing over the earth willi no noticeable tliect; but, a.s wo are told, this is the expa-ience of li>!il. I am one of those who ta!;e a great interest in astronomical phenomena, liiit I am only an enquirer. I luive been unable to understand why -the cornel's tail always points away from tlie suu, and why—notwithstanding the tremendous pace of the hcad-thc tail always keeps abreast of it, or nearly so, all the particles of the latter travelling ever ao much faster than the head, havin:; so much further to go. The theory that seems to lie. generally accepted as to the composition of the tail, does not. seem feasible, since if "particles" wero thrown off by (he comet's head, they ought to fall 'behind. But everybody knows that these "particles," some of them millions of miles from the head, keep abreast of it. so iliat it is in almost direct line bet«-cc!i them and the sun. Nobody has been able to explain this (ail satisfactorily. Everybody has siHMi the ofl'ect of a brilliant sun ray coming through a chink into a room, api/aronlly free from even a suspicion of dust. >:ow it has occurred lo me that supposing the head of the comet to he composed oi some magnifying matter surrounded by a darker envelope, the smfs rays couM pass Vatrcnglti V>, ami \« ' prr.jeclod into the darkness of space. Thus the phenomena of (lie tail would be prodost'l, 'assuming tiiat space contains

. atoms of reflecting matter—we don't yet. ■ know that if does not. This hypothesis 1 suggests an easy explanation of (a) The ■ tail appearing to keep abreast of the 5 cumeY. Ira i\s imvnn>\- T»\Ym\ \\w *\yst, fe^ - the lail extending'as it nears Hie sun; - and (c) the lail of a comet not attesting -the earth when in contact. Perhaps Di\ 3 Kennedy, who, I learn, lectures ou tho 2 comet on Wednesday evening, may think i (he hypothesis I havo put forward worth i considering. DR. KENNEDY'S LECTURE. ; In consequence of the growing interest, r the amount of speculation and tho general j desire for information a.s to the probable h elrect the close proximity of Hallev's ' Comet will have upon the earth on M*ay : 10, the Rev. Dr. Kennedy, S.M., FB \ S ■ has been induced to deliver an address : on this subject in the Town Hall this ; evening. Dr. Kennedy is an authority , on all matters pertaining to astronomy, and with his usual zeal he has been sne- ; cessful to securing some very unique and ; uitavsling photographs of Hallev's comet ; taken at various distances from the earth. During the com-s-o of the lecture these . photographs wll be exhibited bv means . ?' sic es for the first 'time in V\ ellinjrton. The Mayor will preside, and the net proceeds- of the lecture will be landed to the Society of St. Vincent de I am. liiosn per?oi!< desirous of participating in this intellectual treat should lose ~n time in booking their seats- at the Dresden as only a limited number of tickets have been printec!. •