38 



THE COMETS OF EEBEUART, 1S80, AND 

 JANUAEY, 1887. 

 Bt a. B. Biggs. 



Notwithstanding the apparent contradiction, the circum- 

 stance which rendered the late Comet especially disappointing 

 and tantalising to observers, as well as detracting from the 

 general interest which is usually taken in these casual 

 visitors, may be considered, from one point of view, as 

 investing it with peculiar interest. I retV^r to its headless 

 character. In this respect it is, so far as I am aware, almost, 

 if not quite unique. I can account for only two others that 

 can at all compare with it, namely, Tuttle's Comet of 1790, 

 and that which bothered us so in 1880. Tuttle's Comet, 

 however, which is described as "a confused nebulosity, 

 without indications of a nucleus," was presumably of moderate 

 dimensions, whose position was measurable ; whilst that of 

 1880 furnished some questionable indications of a head from 

 which approximate positions were obtained, although, so far as 

 I am aware, nothing certain in this respect was obtained by 

 any one. 



Our last visitor appears to have completely baffled every- 

 one in the search for any point of condensation. I can only 

 describe it as a mere vdsp. Many hours were spent by myself 

 in sweeping about in the direction of the streak with the 

 8fin. reflector. 



The comparison between our late visitor and that of 1880 is 

 rendered still more interesting by other points of resemblance. 

 The accompanying rough chart, constructed from my own notes 

 of both Comets will, I think, indicate these points with 

 sufficient clearness. In this chart the positions of both Comets 

 and their apparent lengths are laid down as accurately as could 

 be ascertained by reference to known stars. Instrumental 

 measures of such ghost-like objects were, speaking generally, 

 useless or impossible, except as regards the last position of that 

 of 1880, when the object had diminished to a mere telescope 

 speck, its then position being read ofi' from the circles of the 

 equatorial. 



The several positions as laid down in the chart would appear 

 almost to indicate the progress of the same Comet from day to 

 day. It is important to observe that the positions correspond 

 as to time of year, consequently the projection of the orbits 

 upon the back- ground of the sky would not be materially 



