THE COMET.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1181, 21 October 1882, Page 2

THE COMET.

Imf. comet is still a brilliant object in the morning sky, and aving remained within the field of vision for so long a time, very many of our citizens have managed to get up to have a look at it. Mr G. Butterfield, of Stanmore, New South Wales, makes the following interesting observations on the comet:—By fur the most magnificent comet that has adorned the heavens since the famous comet of 1843, is now a most, striking object in our eastern morning sky. Compared with any others that we have ever seen, it is of enormous size, both in length and width, and gloriously brilliant. So splendid an object probably has nevei before been seen by this generation. The actual position and path in space of the immense object has been en gaging the attention of the astronomers <»f this southern hemisphere, and a rough set of elements has been computed from observations of the apparent positions from September Bth to 17th. These elements show an exceedingly close approach to the sun, the ncaiest apprt ach to that body, or perihelion, having been only 1-33, > II C miles from the sun’s centre, the sun itself having a radius of 430.0(H) mih s. Approaching the solar system from the south of the plane of the eaith’s orbit, the comet swept, through that plane, passed perihelion en the 17th, and again crossed that plane from north to south in a few hours, and is now receding from the sun on the south side of the plane of our orbit, so that little opportunity is given to our northern fathers to see the grand spectacle. Residents in the northern hemisphere may ! per :aps have seen something <»f it. near peiii helion. From the elements it appeal s that, ' although the largest that we l.aveseen, a great , many others have approached very much , nearer, eo that the present one must be of i enormous actual size. Looking at the mutter . roughly, it does not appear ever to have apI proached much nearer to the eaith than is the 1 sun. Although the comet rapidly leaving 1 the solar system, in an orbit, the plane of which is inclined to that, of t e earth’s orbit . in an angle of 38dcg., the earth is travelling i to a point, in its orbit over which, or south of which, the comet traverses ; so that the distance between the earth and the comet ia not inoieasing, and the comet will probably be a very conspicuous object for several weeke, rising earlier every morning. It will, more* ovci, from its increasing smith declination, soon puss into that purl of the heavena that is perpetually above our horizon, and be visible throughout the whole night. It will remain thus in view probably till the cluse of the year.