PONS-WINNECKE COMET.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2290, 16 June 1921, Page 3

PONS-WINNECKE COMET.

OBSERVED YESTERDAY.

Wellington, June 15.

This morning, at 3.30, the PonaYVinnecke comet was observed at the Hector Observatory by Mr A. C. Gifford, who subsequently reported the fact to the Government astronomer. The comet was at that time near, and on the western side of star Pegasus, and moving rapidly south and east. It will to-night be on the east side of the star. This is the first view of the comet obtained in New Zealand.

This comet is named after two Continental astronomers, mie of whom discovered the celestial visitor, and the other subsequently studied and added to the facts known about its course. There has been great speculation regarding the possibility of the earth colliding with the comet in June. Examining these “extravagant statements,” the journal of the British Astronomical Association says there is uncertainty as to the comet’s distance from the sun at nodual passage, which is quite 500,000 miles; the chance is ,therefore,. 1 in 60 that it falls within a particular 8,000 miles. Next, the comet’s resolved velocity perpendicular to the ecliptic is about eight miles per second, which would mean one-third hour for 8,000 miles. As tlje possible range of perihelion passages is some 400 hours, the combined chance of collision with the head is 1 in 60; multiplied by 1200, or, say 1 in 70,000. Even if the head were encountered there is no reason to expect more than a meteor shower of extreme intensity. Considerable interest attaches to the return of this comet owing to its being accompanied by a stream of meteoric particles of considerable extent. In 1915 it was estimated that the length of the stream was at least--550 millions of miles. It is highly probable that a very line display will he witnessed from some part of the earth.