THE NEW COMET.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 76, 1 April 1899, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE NEW COMET.

ITS POSITION IN THE HEAVENS

That 1899 is to be annns mirabilis seems certain. The sudden death of a great man, or a prominent ruler was, according to old stories, always foretold by the appearance of strange and new bodies in the heavens — stars, signs and portents. . Almost synchronous with President Faure's death comes the new comet, discovered by Mr Swift, through the great Yerkes telescope, at the observatory of that name in California, U.S.A. And this is no thumping, meteor-like visitor, but a 'big-fellow' comet, visible to the naked eye, and, as the song says, 'getting larger every day.' In order to obtain whatever information was^kely to be available, a Sydney representative called on Mr Russell, the Government Astronomer, at the Observatory. 'We only got the news late last evening,' said Mr Russell, 'when I received a wire from the Victorian astronomer. You see, whenever any discovery of the kind is made it is cabled out to Melbourne, which then disseminates the news throughout Australia. 'As soon as. we got the news we -turned the big equatorial telescope upon the stranger, and found him sate, enough. My assistant is now working out the exact position. Ah! here ha comes This is it to a fraction—X.A. 3hS 40min Slsec, N.P.D Hod eg 6mm 56sec. He first came into the held oi the telescope at about 9.30 last night, and we have been able to obtain some interesting observations. He is m the constellation Eridanus, nearthe star Gamma, and can be seen without the aid of a telescope.' 'Can you define the position more closely, Mr Russell, so that those with a very superficial knowledge of the heavens may be able to ascertain his whereabouts?' •. 'Certainly You know the constellation Orion? Very (veil. Half-way between the sword-belt of Orion and the bright star Achernar is Gamma Eridanifand close to the latter is the comet. To-night, between 8 and 9 o'clock, if you stand and look almost due north-west, you can see the comet Orion setting preceding. A tdweope of very moderate power will afford a g°'And iTit approaching the earth?' 'I cannot say yet. It may be if, as is reported, it is growing brighter, but we must wait further observation, for a definite opinion.' _.