“From the Paris Moniteur...”
Date
12-7-1811
Newspaper
National Intelligencer
Page and Column
Page 3, Column 3
Newspaper Location
Washington, D. C.
Serial Number
966
Abstract
Report from a Paris newspaper on the Comet of 1811-1812. Detailed scientific information on distance and orbit.
Transcript
From the Paris Moniteur. Having been requested to rectify my elements of the Comet by actual observations; I have the honor to communicate to you their result. The comet was nearest the sun on the 12th of Sept. it was seen 39 millions of leagues distant from the body, and 34 millions of leagues from the earth. From the above date, its distance from the sun will increase; and its distance form the earth will decrease, till about the idle of October, when the least distance of the comet from the earth will still be more than 41 millions of leagues. It is not probable that the brilliance of the comet will go on increasing; for it will lose somewhat more of its luminous aspect by its removal from the sun, than it will gain by its approximation to the earth. In general, the situation of the orbit of this comet is such, that it can never approach very near the earth. The nucleus of this comet appears separated from its coma, which surrounds it in the form of a parabolic ring. This appearance, which has not yet been observed in other comets, is ascertained by the observations of all the astronomers of Parish, and will doubtless be confirmed by those of other astronomers. Probably, however, it does not at all follow that the body is absolutely detached from the coma as the space which appears void may be filled with particles much less luminous than the rest of the coma. The following are the elements of the orbit of this comet.--Perihelion Distance, 1,022,41. The instant of its passage by the perihelion, 48 minutes past nine in the evening of the 12th of Sept, 1811. Ascending node, 140 min. 13 deg. inclination, 72 deg 12 min. place of the perihelion, 74 deg. 12 min. I am, &c. BURCKHARDT, Member of the Institute. Paris, Sept. 20.
Recommended Citation
"“From the Paris Moniteur...”" (1811). New Madrid Compendium Far-Field Database. 939.
https://digitalcommons.memphis.edu/cas-ceri-new-madrid-compendium/939
