Comets, Their Origin, Nature and History |
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ance ancient approached the sun Astrology attractive power battle of Hastings believed blazing comet BOHEMIAN CLUB brilliant called century CHAPTER coma comet appeared comet known comet's tail course crosses the earth's depths of space discovered Donati's earth passed earth's orbit ellipse Encke Encke's comet fact fall fall of Constantinople fell fixed orbits flight fused Halley Halley's comet heavenly bodies hundred Iron meteorites Julius Cæsar Jupiter last appearance Leonids luminous meteoric showers meteorite miles a second moon motion move nearer nearest the sun nearly Neptune Uranus noticed November 13 nucleus omen orites period power of gravitation probably reappearance reduced to vapor resisting medium retard round the sun Saturn seen shoal of meteors shooting star shower of meteors Sir Isaac Newton solar system stone strike the earth sublime revolutions sun's power telescope thousands Turks Vespasian visible visit our system weighing William the Conqueror young astronomer zodiac
Popular passages
Page 47 - Wherefore if according to what we have already said it should return again about the year 1758, candid posterity will not refuse to acknowledge that this was first discovered by an Englishman.
Page 22 - It appeared to be of excessive length, and was of the color of blood. At the summit of it was seen the figure of a bent arm, holding in its hand a great sword, as if about to strike. At the end of the point there were three stars. On both sides of the rays of this comet were seen a great number of axes, knives, blood-colored swords, among which were a great number of hideous human faces, with beards and bristling hair.
Page 22 - This comet was so horrible, so frightful, and it produced such great terror in the vulgar, that some died of fear and others fell sick. It appeared to be of excessive length, and was of the color of blood.
Page 20 - This hairy star does not concern me : it menaces rather the King of the Parthians, for he is hairy, and I am bald.
Page 11 - These are the nucleus, the coma, and the tail. The nucleus is the bright centre of the comet, and appears to the eye as a star or planet.
Page 22 - ... the vulgar, that some died of fear, and others fell sick. It appeared to be of excessive length, and was of the colour of blood; at...
Page 7 - These planets all move round the sun in the same direction, — from west to east.
Page 35 - The second was a fine comet, but it was the third that especially attracted the world's attention. nine months and its tail was two hundred million miles in length. It was one of the few comets in history that have been visible in day time. This comet was seen to pass over the sun's disk by observers in South Africa, a thing Tinknown before in the history of astronomy and that can hardly be expected again in hundreds of years.
Page 22 - ... seen, and the coming of comets never failed since to bring uneasiness of mind and spirits to those who saw them, in whatever clime. Thus, in 1456, three years after the capture of Constantinople by the Turks, a great comet was seen which was believed to be in league with the forces of anti-Christ. The Pope of Rome ordered prayers to be said, and the common prayer was: "Lord, deliver us from the Devil, the Turk and the comet.