THE COMET.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3511, 9 October 1882, Page 3

THE COMET.

(N\Z, Times.) The present comet must be classed with the most remarkable of this century, such a those of 1811, 1843, 1858, and 1861. Is suddenly appeared as a remarkable object in the Constellation of Hydra on the 7th of last month, and, with an apparent N.E. motion, neared the sun, till, on the 18th, it revolved round the great central motor of our system, and has since been retracing its course by the same apparent path towards the same quarter of the heavens from which it emerged. Reaching the sun on the further side from the earth, it has been nearest to us on its return course, and has thus been seen to greater advantage. When 'first observed it was probably not less than 100,000,000 miles distant. It then appears to have approached within two degrees of the sun's disc, which is equal to three and a half million miles from the sun's surface. In this part of its course its angular velocity must have been enormous, as in a very few hours it passed through nearly three-fourths of its entire revolution, and, on again becoming visible on the west side of the sun, was moving at a speed exceeding 30,000 miles per hour, or over seven millions in a day. There can be no doubt of its identity with the comet telegraphed as being seen from the Paris Observatory on the 26th, as from its position since the 25th ultimo it must have risen about half an hour before dawn in tbat latitude. Tho extraordinary thing is that it seems to have escaped observation on the 20th and 21st, on which days, except where obscured by clouds, it must have been equally within view in all parts of I tho Trorld as it was in New Zealand, shining as a bright winged dagger of light, even at noontide, within less than five degrees due west of the sun, on the very date when the sun is vertical over the Equator, and therefore shines from Pole to Pole. This brilliancy is not unprecedented, however, as in 1847 a much smaller comet was visible at noon on 30th March of that year, but it was at a greater distance from the sun, and nearer to the earth. ) With its enormous velocity the present comet must ha.vc by this time have traversed a distance from the sun as great as the earth's orbit; but it would not only cross this orbit at a point that will not be reached by the earth in its progress round the sun till about a month afterwards, but moreover, will not intersect the earth's path at all, as tho comet moves in an entirely different piano, having since tho 20th ult. made over 7 degrees of southing, and being already 4£ degrees beyond the Ecliptic. The possibility of a collision of the earth with any part of the comet is, therefore, entirely out- of the question. Indeed, tbe comet will probably not be nearer to us than it was on tho 2nd or 3rd instant, when its distance could not have been less than sixty-five million of miles. The best view of it was that obtained on Monday last, the 2nd instant. On that morning the head of the comet was 22£ degrees west and 7 degrees south of the sun, and thus appeared in the eastern sky about one and a-half hours hefore sunrise. The tail being 10 degrees in length, and directed in advance of the comet, began to rise forty minutes earlier. All the various parts were displayed on that morning in great perfection at 4 a.m., owing to the optical purity and stillness of the atmosphere. The nucleus seemed larger but less defined than formerly, its outline being diffused. The tail, -which must have been over ten million miles in length, and half a million in width, was very bright, especially on the southern side, and from its extremity faint streams, resembling the scintillations of an aurora, seemed at times to add considerably to the length of the tail. The head and sides of the comet were also enveloped in a faint nebulous light like a delicate filamentous haze.