THE COMET.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2650, 4 October 1882, Page 3

THE COMET.

[Melbourne Paper,} The oomet passed perihelion early on the morning of the 18th, and at noon on the previous day was plainly seen with the naked eye as a very bright object within 4ieg of the sun. From its apparent motion in tho heavens it was thought probable that it would continue to move eastwards, and therefore he seen in the evening following the sun. Cloudy weather, however, prevailed in Melbourne after this, and no view of tho comet could be obtained. From observations secured on and prior to the 17th, a rough orbit was computed, which gave the following approximate elements: — Perihelion passage, September 17175 Longitude of node ... ... 363 deg 38m Longitude of perihelion ... 275 deg 12m Inclination ... 38deg 10m Logarithm of perihel. distance 7‘6906 Motion —Eetrograde. From these it was found the comet had swept half around the sun in less than two hoars, and after this stupendously rapid excursion was returning with a westerly motion over, apparently, nearly the same part of the heavens in which it first appeared, lb would therefore bo again visible in the early morning before sunrise. A telegram from Mr Todd, of Adelaide, on tho 22ad, stated the comet was seen by soma person rising twenty minutes before the sun on the 21st, and again at twenty minutes past five on Friday morning, the 22nd. The elements of the calculated orbit were sent to Mr Todd on Friday evening, from which he would see that it was again visible in the morning. Offing to continued cloudy weather, the first opportunity of again observing tho comet occurred a little before sunrise yesterday (Sunday) morning, when it was well seen between the clouds, presenting a grand spectacle. It is undoubtedly the largest oomet seen since 1861, and, it is thought, exceeds even that in brightness. The elements of the approximate orbit referred to show its perihelion distance to have been one of the smallest on record, and must have brought the oomet at its nearest approach to the sun almost to grazing its surfeoe ; for, taking kie calculation as correct, it parsed within 453,000 miles of tho sun’s centre, and as the radius of the apparent solar surface is 430.000 it must have been within about 23,000 miles of it—a somewhat alarming proximity, and certainly within range of the enormous volcanic jets of incandescent hydrogen ejected from the sun in the vicinity of sun spots, which often extend 100.000 miles from its surface.

The clsments generally show a remarkable similarity to the great comet of 1843, and if not the same, it will probably be found to be a comet belonging to the same system, moving in nearly the same orbit. The oomst may be looked for during the week, rising about half-pset four in the morning, a few degrees south of east; its motion taking it farther west and a little farther south each day. It is also stated that Mr Todd, of Adelaide, has identified the comet with that of 1848,