COMET GEDDES

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 19, 22 July 1932, Page 8

COMET GEDDES

MANY OBSERVATIONS

The comet which was discovered by Mr., M.; Geddes at Otekura, Otago, on 22nd June, has been thoroughly confirmed by! the numerous, New Zealand observations, of- the body. It was first confirmed at | the Wellington City Observatory on 24th" .June, and sinco that date it has been Hollowed practically'from day to day right up to the .present time. The last observation so far to hand was1 made on Mon-' daj lgth July, when in spite of moon-, light the comet was observed at the City Observatory, and also by Mr. G. V iiudßou- at his private observatory at Karon. With the 9-inch telescope at Kelburn it .has, in fact, been followed during the whole lunation. Altogether fortyfceven observations have been recorded up to date, and a large amount of other material remains to be worked up, which '"ay.give a few more accurate positions. -these observations have been made by many different people, in different towns ana using m many cases different instruments. They ai;e as follow:—Mr. 6 V Hudson, at his. private observatory, Kar°rl > Wellington, thirteen observations; Mr. \" 11 osn a* v's Private observatory, Auckland, seven observations; Mr. Burrdl at his private observatory, Stratford, one observation; Mr. I<\ J. Morshead, at the 3Mew Plymouth Astronomical Society^ Observatory, ' one , obseivation. Reports a so indicate that observations have been ?i ff, e(J, by Mr- Bryce> o£ Hamilton. At tho Wellington City Observatory the several observers have made the .following contributions:—Mr. F. M. Bateson, two observations; Mr. M. S. Buttevton,- two observations; Mr.R. C. Hayes, six observations; Mr. I. L. Thomson, fourteen observations. -'

To anyone but an astronomical enthusiast, the comet at present would probably appear .to be an uninteresting object It appears in the telescope as a small elliptical haze- of light with a bright nucleus placed a little from-the centre of the mass. Since its discovery the general opinjon of, all the observers is that it has increased slightly in brightness, and there may still be hope of seeing it later on with the naked eye. Its visibility during moonB™,8 ™, MouW sqem to s"PPort this view. . When Mr. Geddes first saw tho comet is was about only six degrees from the south Celertiol Pole, being a little to Uie north of a faint naked eye star, Zeta (Mantis. Since then it has taken a leisurely course from the constellation of j ■??' throusn tliose of tho Chamaeleon and Musca, into the Southern Cross, where it is at present. On the 18th July it was about one degree away from the brightest star of the Cross, Alpha Crncis, and Fhn istiy VaTi ? loSe£ than that between tho 18thland 10th. The passage through ! tho Southern Cross ivill bo followed with interest by amateurs. I Prom the observations so far obtained at would seem that the comet *is at a comparatively great distance from the earth, but may bo coming closer. This conjecture cannot be determined, however, until the path of the new body is calculated. The Dominion Astronomer (VI. O. h. Adams) is at present carrying out this calculation, the losult1? of which will.be of interest to the layman as well as the star-gazer.