THE NEW COMET

Hokitika Guardian, 24 December 1927, Page 1

THE NEW COMET

NEW ZEALAND OBSERVATIONS. WELLINGTON, Dec. 22. The comet which suddenly appeared a week or two ago has disappeared from the view of those in the southern hemisphere, being now a source of interest to people in the northern hemisphere. At the present time it is >n a part of the sky not visible in New Zealand alter sunset, being somewhat to the north of the star known as Alpha Aquila.

A provisional orbit has been drawn out by Dr C’. E. Adams at the Dominion Observatory, using, the calculations of Mr P. W. Glover of Canterbury College, coupled with his own observations. Dr Adams reckons that the perihelion (or the nearest approach to the sun) was reached at the beginning of December. At that time the comet was about sixty million miles, or two-thirds of the earth’s distance from the sun, that being a fairly close approach for a comet. At that time the comet was about forty million miles from the earth not very far away as comets go. The inclination of its orbit to that of the earth has boon reckoned to be about 8(1 degrees. Its position on Christmas Day will be approximately I!) hours l.j minutes right ascension, and 22 degrees 12 minutes north declination. Cheeks with other local observations agree fairly well with these calculations, which also agree closely with those cabled from the Union Observatory at Johannesburg in ,South Africa. They do not agree, however. with a cable from Melbourne. The latter was probably mutilated in transmission.