“The Late Comet”
Date
5-16-1812
Newspaper
The Supporter
Page and Column
Page 1, Column 3
Newspaper Location
Chillicothe, Ohio
Serial Number
581
Abstract
Short article on the comet of 1811. From a London paper it summarizes a report to the Royal Society of observations of the comet done by Dr. Hershell. He observed the nucleus and estimated it’s size and distance from earth.
Transcript
The late Comet. A curious paper was last week read to Dr. Herschell, at the Royal Society. Dr. H. in observing the Comet in October last; noticed a highly luminous' appearance near the centre of its head, which astronomers would call nucleus. This luminous disk, he found to deviate considerably from the center, and to be at one time brighter than another. This led him to more particular in his observations, with longer telescopes and higher magnifying powers; these he varied from 7 to 10 and 20 feet, with magnifiers up to 600; when he distinctly discovered it to be a planetary body, which appeared so bright in the center of the Comet, that it was evidently surrounded by a cometic atmosphere. On the 16th of October when the Comet was 114 millions of miles distant from the earth, by a series of observations and calculations, he ascertained the diameter of this Planet to be 423 miles, with an atmosphere subject to the vicissitudes of the comet. London pap.
Recommended Citation
"“The Late Comet”" (1812). New Madrid Compendium Far-Field Database. 569.
https://digitalcommons.memphis.edu/cas-ceri-new-madrid-compendium/569
