Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 December 1892 — HOWTO FIND THE NEW COMET. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

HOWTO FIND THE NEW COMET.

Astronomer Hale Gives Some Points to the Lay Observer. Thoueandsof well-meaning people are trying every night to see the much-talked-about comet and fail to discover it. It may be seen by the unaided eye if directed at the right point. A common opera-glass turned on the Pleiades will reveal it more distinctly. To assist the ordinary observer Astronomer Hale has made a diagram that will aid in locating the vagrant comet. He has omitted the lesser s’ars and indicated the comet by lines drawn through the fixed stars and constellations. For good measure the nebula of Andromeda has been thrown into the diagram. “This bright spot near the milky way,” Prof. Hale says, “is easily mistaken for the comef'itself and might assist in finding the wanderer. Beginning with the first star in the belt of Orion—and the belt may be located by the three bright stars close together and in a straight line—draw an imaginary line with the eye passing through Touri, a little to the left and a little below the Pleiades; miss the Pleiades and run the line through the principal star of Andrbmeda as far beyond Touri as Touri is beyond Orion, then carry the line a little farther and find the comet. If this is not complicated, taking the big star in Andromeda and make the base of a right angle triangle with the first of the lesser stars above. The perpendicular at an equal distance will rest on the comet. In a stra’ght line with the base of this triangle is the Andromeda nebu'a, and this is half way below the lower line of the milky way

and the comet. The comet is located on a straight line between the planet Jupiter and the polar star. To better understand the diagram hold it almost above the head and face the east." The Holmes’ comet, the name which has finally been agreed upon by astronomers in the absence of any other definite name, will reach its perihelion Dec. 27, when It will be as near the sun as it can get, then will pass around and go back on its journey into space. In regard to the assertion of Professor Colbert that the earth is liable to collide with the comet, Prof. Wiggins says: “You can judge as to the danger of that when I say that Father Sechi, the celebrated Italian astronomer, a few years ago was looking through his glass at this same comet when he saw it burst in two, thus becoming two electrical comets. These have since gradually receded from each other, and are now considered two distinct comets and have periodic times ent rely dissimilar. There is no danger of their running upon each other and why should they run against the earth? Moreover, some of the asteroids; as for instance Melpomone and Nyassa, are continually crossing and reerossing the path of Mars, and never collide with that planet. Comets, however, may do us a great deal of damage, for if one should run between us and our moon, as Lexilles' comet ran among the moons of Jupiter in 1778, Its powerful attraction ' would so contract the earth as to cause the waters of our oceans to overflow our continents, as no doubt happened at the Niaehlau deluge.” HOLDING ON TO THEIR JOBS. Not, Many Postmasters Resigning on Account of the Result of the Election. It is stated at the Postofflce Department In Washington that the percentage of resignations of fourth-class postmasters received up to date on account of the result of the election has been considerably less than at the corresponding time four years ago. The largest number of resignations thus far, has come from those of the third class, whose salaries rarge from SI,OOO to $2,000 per annum. There are about fifty of them on file. The reason assigned for their resignation is that they are compelled under the law to furnish the outfit of their offices, consisting of lock boxes, office furniture, etc., which in some cases cost several hundred dollars, often as high as $5lO. To protect themselves from total loss a practice, it is alleged, has prevailed for the holding over postmasters to make an agreement with the most prominent candidate for the office by which the former resigns and opens the way to a political opponent to succeed him, provided that the latter purchases the office outfit. The resignation of the postmaster is forwarded to the department, and upon the appointment of his successor by the President, the successful applicant pays for his predecessor’s outfit

Newsy Paragraphs. M. M. Rose, of Ohio, has been male Assistant Land Commissioner. The receipts of the New York horse show were $74,000 and the expenses $73,500. The Deadwood Central Railway has been purchased by the Burlington and Mississippi River for $1,000,000. The Council of Archbishops decided that the faculty of the Catholic University at Washington shall be reorganized. The steamer Ross Lee, loaded with cotton and merchandise, was destroyed by Are at Memphis, Tenn. The loss is $05,000. Henry Vose, of Westerly, R. 1., furnished the Thanksgiving turkey for the White House. It weighed thirty-one pounds. Rival claimants to the Park Regent Mine, at Jimtown, Col., have sent armed forces into the mine, and a battle is looked for. It is discovered that some parts of the machinery of the Miantonomah are faulty, owing to the use by the buildo of weak material. Joseph Lambardo, was shot in Brooklyn. He was seriously wounded. It is believed he is a victim of the Mafia. The Secretary of State has been informed that all the ports of Hawaii have been thrown open to commerce without restrictions of any kind. A company from the United States has bought out all Nova Scotia coa companies, with one exception, and now controls the Canadian coal trade. A Christian Scientist at Guthrie, Ok., who was bitten by a rattlesnake recently, relused medical assistance and depended solely on prayer. He is dead. The Merchants Hotel at Wilmar, Minn., was destroyed by fire. Weal Howe, an. engineer, was burned t< death. The loss to property is $15,000.

THE LOCATION ON THE COMET.