DANGER FROM A COMET.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13837, 26 February 1907, Page 5

DANGER FROM A COMET.

AN ITALTAX PROFESSOR'S prediction. Press Auociation-By Telegraph—Copjri-iit. ROMK, February 21. Professor Malloucci, director of the observatory on Mount Vesuvius, declares dial at tlie end of ifsircli Hie substance of tho comet, discovered by Marchetli will come in contact with (he earths iitmosplicrc, causing stmio danger. SYDNEY, February 25. (Received Feb.. 26, at 0.17 a.m. The Government Astronomer ridicules Professor Jlatteucci's predictions regarding the comet. He says it is no new thing for comets to sweep Hid earth quite inoffensively. Nothing is known here of Marehetli's comet, but, suppceing such a, comet exists, and it came in contact with the earth, it would not have as much effect as the mist on the mountains. Several other astronomers confirm this view.

When the superstitions fear of cornels, as portendm.-j harm to the inhabitants of the, rarlh, had vanished before the light of science, that light was in Mine danger of giving riso to fear of anollior sorl— fear of physical Jiann to tho earth itself by the collision of eomo comet that might, cross its path. AVe liave no evidence, however, that any violent collision <. V or did happen, either Villi tile earUi or with any oilier planet; and we have mil. absolutely correct lncnns of 90 oalciilaMns llio placo or a comet us to bo able to say with certainly Ihul, on a given day during a given inontli, it shall cms:! iho orbit, of a plnnot. Tin, motion of llio uiirth in its orhil is, in round numbers, morn than 1,500,000 miles in n. day; and as Olairaul, wilh all his rare, did 'not oomo nearer (he tnilh than 19 days, though |.h« collision of a, roinot ami the. rarlh should he raleidated from any known dula, the earth might in fact he at Iho linn; far enough from the eoniet. Imfel, i hough the fact of Iho leturn of at lonst two comet's In csinbliflied, IWlcy's and Eni.'ke's. and ho return of cvery one, if not alfeeiod by physical causes that lie beyond the liinilii of our present knnwlrdgo,' has been rendered, exceedingly prohablo, yet we can Observe them for so short a. portion of (heir courses, and these room so very apt. to be I'Mered, Iliat we ought not to speak of them with anything like iho certainly with which we speak of (ho planets. As far as \\l hiivo been able to examine them ibey nupnar to obey the same laws as the other distinct masses that make up the known system of the universe, tteyond this wo know but littSo of their nature. There is Ri-eat diversify of opinion as to what would happen if a collision between the earth and a comet did occur. Recent scientific investigation on this point i 3 reassuring. The tails of some comets may extend for millions of miles, but -the behaviour of the tail points to tho conclusion that it is but a slroam of matter drawn off from tho comet in Rome way by -the aotion oi tho sun, and tho density must ho small indeed since the earth has passed through a tail at least twieo in the nineteenth century without the fact being known until afterwards. It, is now generally recognised that with the possible exception of the bright central '' nucleus," a comet h small in mass, and in a stiilo of groat- tenuity unable to affect the motion of the planet it approaches, and allowing the light of a, star to pass oven through its " head."

Mr J. F. Morris writes ns follows:—"In reference to tho rablepram from the learned director of the Vesuvian Observatory that tho substance of llio cornet diseovevnd by Maroliclti will como in contact wilh tlio oarth'e atmosphere- causing some danger, ih may bo stated that this event is predicted for March. The only comet in mv list for this year (1907) is a Final! comet.discovered by J[. Giacobini at Nice on tho 20th December, 1900, period about seven years, consequently due ibis coming summer. Of course there are chances of missing , through this comet as indicated hut it would'not the the earth's first experience. Tlirco cornels have disappeared. There was, for mslance, tho comet discovered by Mr Tebbjilt in New South Wales, 13th May, 1861, visible for a whole year: period 400 years! The earth passed fhrouoh tho tail of this comet in June, 1861. Another instanro is Bella's comet, period years and α-half. After appearing in 1832 and 18*9 (not soon) it was won again in 1845 us a double comet. Bolli returned in the year 1852, but. since then neither unit has'been seen wiili certainly. Tim nositiou would bo unfavourable in 18S9. but in 1866 groat disappointment was felt at. is non-appearance; The -pn rlli is supposed to have passed clean through this comet, causing the November meJeoric showers for which tint month ie so justly celebrated. Our next liig visitor is Hally-s comer, period 76 years, in the winlor of 1910. Although only an amateur in this study, I must cerlainly express tho opinion that, considerinc the looseness of formation cf comets, there is no more resistance offered by I lie comet the earth passing through than (p a man's hand passing through sand on tho sea beach."