THE COMET.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVI, Issue 1598, 9 July 1861, Page 6

THE COMET.

[From the Wellington Independent, 28th June.}

; The following sextant measurements of the Comet, whose appearauce we noticed iv our last Summary, shew its rapid motions and change of position since those taken in the first week that it was noticed" in Wellington: — June 20. Jusb 27. Canopus ...... 41 30 Aldelmrnn .. .14 90 Akernar 48 16 Sirius ...... 32 43 Fomalhaut .... 73 27 Caaopus .. 60 40 On June 20, the Comet was very beautiful. The nucleus was very bright, and the tail was no less than 38 P 47' in length, so that if the head had been resting on the horizon, the tail would have reaohed in perpendicular nearly half-way up the sky. One third of the tail was tery bright; the rest was faint but very distinct. It was divided into two branches—the upper branch being much longer than the lower. In a large telescope the nucleus was very sharp, surrounded evenly by uebulous matter, and appeared fully as large as Jupiter. This was the last morning that the Comet was visible without moonlight. On Judo 27, the moonlight interfered sadly, with i the Comet's brightness, but it was cvi* dently much larger, than on the 20th The nucleus was visible up to 7 o'clock, and after Riga!, a bright star in Orion of the first magnitude, had disappeared ; yet the Comet was more in the sun's rays than the star. It is now h\alf«way between Riga! aud Aldebavan, the\ bull's eye, and is rapidly approaching the sun. The moon is waning fast, so thdj: the Comet will well repay those who wild rise at 5. o'clock. The best time to see lit is from 6*30 to 6 o'clock. The telescopic appearance was \ery different to thatiof June 20. The luminous matter I'rohp. the nucleus is spread out iv advance .ojf the head, very much after the pattern oft a cheese knife ; and the part that an- \ swers to the edge is heaped up in a well- I defined ridge. This appearance well \ supports the present received opinion \ concerning the (ails of Comets, that the \ matter of the Comet, thrown off from the Comet's nucleus by the increasing heat, as it rapidly approaches the sun, is violently thrown back, by the sun's magnetic aotion. The ridge noticed is evidently caused by the suri'a power aoiing foroibly against the Comet. The Comet will be seen plainly in England, so that in two months we shall hear all that can be told us of this wonderful stranger. In anq- - ther month it will be visible here in tho evening, op ils return from the sun.