An Escaped Comet

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 125, 24 October 1885, Page 3

An Escaped Comet

During the last four years some comets have paid visits to the ruler of the' solar system and displayed their dazzling trains to the admiration o! his attendant worlds. Every one of these comets has been remarkable for some unusual or unaccountable con- , duct. The big oomefe of 18 SI suddenly flirted iti streaming tail into tUe northern hemisphere unannounced and unexpected, and surprised the astronomers at their telescopes as much a* it did the milkmen on their early morning visits to ths pumps. The comet of 1882 amazed the worJd by suddenly appearing at broad uoon cose to the sun, where it soared like a fiery bird with broad wings extended, and as it retreated from the solar system, it appeared to be chased by a bevy of little comets to which it had apparently given birth during the terrors of its plunge through the flaming banners of the sun. In 1883 the comet of 1812 reappeared, but the most extraordinary comet of all is the one which was discovered at the Vienna Observatory not a great while ago. It seems to have been clearly seen, for the observers carefully measured its position among the ttars, and it was believed from its place and motion that it was one of the comets of 1858 returning. But after thus snowing itself the comet disappeared, and, although a battery of telescopes hai been bt ought to bear upon the spot where it appeared, from nearly every observatory in Europe, not a glimpse of the mysterious visitor from the realms of outer space has been caught.