COURT CROSSES SUN

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 821, 21 May 1910, Page 6

COURT CROSSES SUN

NO DISASTER. NUCLEUS NOT VISIBLE ON SUN'S FACE STODY OF SUN-SPOTS. INSURANCE AGENTS AMONG THE NEGROES. By TdesErsph—Press Association—Oopyrtekt Berlin, May 19. The German newspapers are publishing columns of observatory reports on the comet. The latest Berlin calculation was that the earth would entor the comet's tail at 4.22 o'clock on tho morning of May 19 and would paes out of it an hour later, at 5.22. The Gorman scientists did not anticipate electric storms. Extensive arrangoments wore made for chemical observationa while the earth was enveloped in the comet's tail. The Royal , Prussian Meteorological Observatory, Lindenberg, arranged for some ascents of balloons, all manned by competent observers provided with chemical, electrical, and meteorological apparatus. "COMET-PANIC. , " New York, May 19. The comet monopolises American newspapers. Balls, receptions, and

breakfast,, parties , hare been arranged on the roofs of buildings in , Nerw York. Negroes ia the Southern States, suffering from , comet-panic, are suspending work and devoting tiben , time to_ prayer meetings. Many, half-crazed, are hiding in collars. Tho insurance agents are reaping a rich harvest. Professor Bannard, of the Yerkes Observatory, Williams Bay, Wisconsin, roports that the comet's tail is brighter than, any portion of the Milky Way, and extends over 107 degrees. ST. PETEBSBUEG PEATS HAED. St. Petersons, May 18. Many residarta of St. Petersburg have decided to spend the night (May 18-13) in Hie churches; where continuous prayers have been ordered. AUEOEAL DISPLAYS. London, May 19. The Reynolds reflecting telescope at Heluan Observatory, in Egypt, secured splendid photographs of the comet, showing a vdvid nucleus enveloped in the tail, of parabolic outline. The observatory at tho Cape has reported that no indications wore found of the earfh traversing iihe comet's tail. , The passage was nowhere observed in the United States, though brilliant auroral displays occurred. The comet was Been at Aden. It resembled a searchlight, but the head was invisible. SUN-SPOTS. BUT NO TEACE OF THE COMET. Sydney, May 19. Tho Sydney Observatory reports that a 11} inch refractor was used in an endeavour to trace the comet as it crossed the sun's disc, between 12.22 and 1.22 -this afternoon. Three astron-j omers spent tho hour watching the sun, but no \race of tho comet could be found. ' Several patches of eun-spots were observed, and some of them had to be watched very closely before a definite announcement could be mado against the possibility of their being the nucleus of the comet. An independent observer outside the observatory reports that a careful search resulted similarly. THREE LARGE BLACK SPOTS. New York, May 19 Several American observatories report that three largo and intensely black sun-spots were observed yostorday. "END OF THE WORLD" ALARMS. (Roc. May 21, 0.30 a.m.) London, May 20. American observatories report thnt ; tho last of Halley's Comet is still visible on the eastern horizon. From St. Thomas's, Danish West Indies, it is reported that an enormous beam of light stretched across twothirds of tho firmament. French astronomers saw nothing. Many Parisians wore up all night, some feasting and others praying, in expectation of tho end of tho world. German observations wore negative. At Munich, however, a glimpse was caught of the coniot passing across Uio sun's disc. : French and German astronomers observed sun spots. ' I Fanatics at Oklahook seized a girl of 16, clothed her in spotolss white, and were about to sacrifice her to tho comet when the police intervened. Many families in Constantinople withdrew their children from school in order that they should be all together in tho event of tho end of tho world. Thousands spent the night on roofs and terraces. ,

[The present cyolo of enn-epot actmty. (says a recent publication) may be briefly summed up as follows: Tho most pro« line year was 1905, and the maximum ao< tivity for tho cycle may bo fixed as oo earring cither in October or a fading; off in 1900, and a revival in 1907 nearly approaching 1905; then tie sun-spots of 1908 fell below 1906, although, those of November were noteworthy. The individual spots did not become large, but they were numerous and formed up in gronps which then became visible to tho naked oyo. From November 1908 to Jnne 1909 there was no decided falling off, but an undoubted decline has since .set in-] TO REAPPEAR THIS EVENIMC WAS THUim A YELLOW LIGHT? The Rev. Dr.. Kennedy, F-BjUS, Rector of St. Patrick's College, interviewed by a Dominion reporter last evening, said that he was not successful in obtaining any view of the comet's transit across the sun an Thursday. Clouds hid the ran from view almost continuously. He had received a telegram from Meeanee stating that several photographs of tho sun were taken through tho telescope during the transit, but no trace of the comet was discovered by this means. In regard to the earth's passage through tho coinetfs tail, ho did not see- any meteors oi other phenomena. Several people had told of a yellowish tinge in the daylight on.Thursday afternoon, but ho had not noticed this himself. Some of the boya at the college had reported to him that during the night they eaw several meteors at one time. Dr. Kennedy himself was not so fortunate. Hβ did not sit up to watch, and when he looked out during the night the sky was toe cloudy to tempt him to keep awake.

Dr. Kennedy also said that part of Hxß tail of the comet should be visiblo to> night soon after Bunset, if the eky.fc clear. It will appear in the west, just under the constellation of Orion, hdi the bright moonlight will doubtlosa place observers at a' disadvantage. The head as well as the tail should be is view on Sunday night. ACROSS THE SUB'S DISO, OBSERVATIONS IN WELLINGTON Wβ have received the following i». port of the transit of HaDey's oomeS over the sun'B disc on Thursday, ba.twoen 1.52 to 2.52 pJm. .-—On the invitation of the Mjw Join Stranchan, a nnmber of formes officers of the Lands and Survey Department assembled near the Observatory in the Botanical Gardens to obBervo the transit of Halley*a oomeJ across the boh'a disc. The observina party comprised: The Surveyor-Genejal and Mr. J. M'Korrow, FXA£., es« Surveyor-General; Mr. A. Barren, Assistant Surveyor-General; Mr. 0. Adams, ex-Geodesical Surveyor; Mr. <L .W. A. Marchant, ex-Surveyor-General and Geodesical Surveyor; and Mr. Thoa. Humphries, ex-Surveyor-General; whila Mr. W. G. Rutherford, Chief Draughts, man Public Works Department, and Mr. C. E. Adams, F.E-A.S., had charge of the photographic operations. Al> thongh careful observations were made continuously with the four instmmenta available, no certain sign of the comet) could be seen on the disc of the sun. A number of photographs of tho ran wore taken at regular intervals of five minutes from 2 p.m. to 2.55 pjn., whoa clouds stopped further exposures. During tho observations tho Hon. T. Mackenzie and Miss A. Mackenzie visited the party, and also sought for the comet, but with similar non-euccesa. REPORTS FROM OTHER PLACES, (B> TeleeraDn.-Press Asunctatlcm.i V/anganui May 20. A keen watch. was kept upon the comet, at Wanganui Observatory, which, possesses one of the finest tolescopes in. the Southern Hemisphere. Though there were intervals of cloudlesaness during tho period when the comet was passing across the sun's disc no trace of it could bo seen. This was exactly as predicted by the director of the observatory, who expected ■ that the brightness of tho sun would outshine the comet. Woodville May 20. If the tat! of Halley's Comet swished our earth last night, tho effect waa not felt here. The night was beautifully clear, but no difference was noticed. Christchurch, May 20. Local observations failed to disclose anything unusual during tho earth's passage through the comet's tail.

As a mark of respect for the memory of King Edward, all railway workshops and goods sheds ncro closed, and no work was done on railway wharves yesterday. No business of any kind was transacted between tho hours of 11.45 a.m. and 12 noon, and every train was brought to a standstill at 11.45 a.m., and remained motionless until 12 noon, miming correspondingly lator throughout tin.- journey. All trains timed to leave stations at 11.45 a.m., or later, loft 15 minutes later than time-tablo time, and rau correspondingly later than tlie usual time, so as to enable crossings and connections to be made with trains that had been brought to a. standstill. A doctor prescribed rest and change for a small boy who had disorganised his system by over-indulgence in eoltcgo puddins. After he hail gone the'littlo boy said —"I knew I was upset, mniuiua, because my foofs asleep, and .things must l«> pretty bad when you go to sleep at tho wrong oud."

"I think its wrong for a married man to gamble." "It's worse than wrong; it's idiotic. His wifo gives him fits if he loses, and confiscates the proceeds if he