THE DAY OF THE COMET.

Mataura Ensign, 21 May 1910, Page 6

THE DAY OF THE COMET.

HOW THE WORLD RECEIVES IT. PANIC OF NEGROES. NEW YORK, May 20. The comet monopolises American newspapers, and balls, receptions and breakfast parties have been .arranged to take place on roofs in New York. Negroes in the southern States are suffering from comet panic and are suspending work and devoting their time to prayer meetings. Many, half-crazed, are hiding in cellars. Insurance agents are reaping a rich harvest. Professor Bannard, of Yerkes Observatory, reports that the tail is brighter than any portion of the Milky Way and extends over 107 decrees. PRAYERS IN RUSSIA. ST. PETERSBURG, May 20. Many residents decided to spent the night in the churches, where continuous prayers were ordered. SEEN FROM THE EARTH. LONDON, May 20. Reynolds' reflecting telescope at Helman Observatory in Egypt secured a splendid photograph of the comet showing a vivid nucleus enveolped in a tail of parabolic outline. The observatory at the Capo reported that no indications were found of the earth traversing the tail. The passage was nowhere observed in the United States, though brilliant auroral displays occurred. : The cornet as seen at Aden resembled ' a searchlightj but the head was invisible. American observations report that the tail of Halley's comet is still on the eastern horizon. St. Thomas, Danish West Indies, reports that an enormous beam of light stretched across two-thirds of the firmament. . French astronomers saw nothing. Many Parisians were up all night, some feasting, others praying in expectation of the end of the' world. I German observations had negative results. Only Munich caught a" glimpse' of the comet passing across the sun's disc. | French and German astronomers ob-' served sun spots. "THE END OF THE WORLD." LONDON, May 20. Religious fanatics saized a girl of 16, | dressed her in clothes of spotless white, and were about to sacrifice her to the' comet when the police intervened. j Many families in Constantinople with drew their children from school in order that they might ho all together in the event of the end of the world. Thousands spent the night on roofs and terraces. I MR WRAGGE'S OBSERVATIONS;, j LAUNCFSTON, May 20. Mr Clement Wragge reports making j a careful observation of the comet's transit with a special solar telescope. The only indication of the transit was a display of auroral or magnetic glare all round the .solar edge, the sunlight being slightly misty. While thi' ob-erva! i-ins wem m, pm-i grcss a magnificent group of .••<>!.•)•■' storms was witnessed. | Mi- Wragge adds: "Altogether the! observations show that the nucleus of. ! the comet is not solid, but an ng^re-j 'gation of co.smical electrons in violent' motion, repelled outwards by pressureof solar light, thus forming a tenuous tail. The barometric pressure was perfectly steady, but the compass needle seemed to slightly quiver, and we may yet hear of electrical storms." Reverting to the storms witnessed in the sun. he says these are favorable to further earthquakes and volcanic action m regions of seismic activity. j

RESTJLTLESS OBSERVATIONS. riiH UNITKn rUKSS ASBOCIATIOW. WELLINGTON, May 20. Observations taken in Wellington in connection with the transit of Halley'3 comet on Thursday were of a negative character. WANGANUI LOSES TRACE. WANGANUI, May 20. A keen watch was kept upon the comet at the Wanganui Observatory, which possesses one of the finest telescopes in the southern hemisphere. Though there were intervals of childlessness during the period when th» comet was passing the sun's disc no trace of it could be seen. This was exactly as predicted by the director of the observatory, who expected that th:« brightness of the sun would outshine the comet. A MAGNETIC STORM. COMET NOT TO BLAME. i CHRISTCHURCH, May 20. A shght magnetic storm was experienced in Christchurch shortly after 3 p.m. yesterday and continuing with '«)- creasing strength until 8.20 p.m. The storm lasted until 4 a.m. to-dav. It is extremely improbable that the storm was at all attributable to the earth's passage through the comet's tail. In May and September last year magnetis storms were experienced of greater strength than the one yesterday. Local observations failed to disclose anything unusual during the earth's passage" through the comet's tail.