IS IT THE COMET?

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 338, 14 March 1910, Page 5

IS IT THE COMET?

A BRILLIANT CELESTIAL BODY. The night stall of the News have been interested admirers during the past three mornings of a beautiful star of considerable magnitude and brilliancy, compared 'with which Mars is but a glimmer. The astronomical knowledge of our staff, however, is sadly deficient, so we are unable to say whether the star we have "discovered" is Halley's, or the Johannesburg comet, or merely a member of one or other ot the ordinary constellatory groups whose orbit is at present nearer Earth than usual. Rising shortly before 4 a.m., it at once commands attention by its magnitude and the intense incandescence of its light. For at least an hour after dawn, when the stars have ceased to reveal their presence by reflected light, the beautiful visitor under review is plainly discernible in the eastern heavens. According to authorities on Halley's comet, during the first half of the past month a few observations were made in New Zealand, and the positions noted agreed fairly well with those which had been computed for it. It was moving in a path a little to the north of Saturn, the line of sight gradually approaching the sun. Its telescopic appearance was that of a very laint patch of light, and it could only be seen after sunset when the sky happened to be dark anil clear. During this month, we are informed, the comet and the earth will continue their respective journeys on opposite sides of the sun, but as the latter will then be in or near our line of sight,,the comet will be invisible to us. In April the comet, gaining speed by its proximity to the sun, •will pass rapidly round it and commence its outward journey from its neighborhood.