Show ARE YOU READY AE This is the Day for the Head End Collision The Comet and I the Earth to Clash a They Whirl Through Space l NEW YORK Nov 2GTho comet discovered discov-ered by Holmes on Nov 6 was a very close neighbor of the earth today and by noon tomorrow it will bo at the point of its course nearest the earth I this is Bielas comet it is of particular interest to us because be-cause its orbit lies within a fow thousand tidIes of the earth Biela an Austrian officer offi-cer discovered the comet which was comet named for him in 1S26 Gumbort a Frenchman French-man determined its periodthat is the time required to complete a revolution of Its orbit For this reason the comet is often known as Gamberts On its return In 1833 it was clearly visible but when it became due in 183 it was above the horizon only > in the daytime so that its lignt was bIdden by tho greater glory of the sun It was on its reappearance in lj46 that It attracted at-tracted special attention by splitting into two pieces Previously its shape was much tee that of 1 big brassheaded tack or an ice pick For nearly five months the parts traveled side by side at a distance of 160 000 miles showing no sign of mutual attraction at-traction but connected by G faint band of light which has caused the parts to be likened to the Siamese twias When next the comet or comets returned the 160000 miles had increased to a million and a half That was the last seen of them although astronomers have since carefully searched the heavens until in 1872 and 1SSG when the meteoric showers already spoken of occurred The present is the month and the year wben the comet is due to return provided it has not been disintegrated in the meantime The comet now visible In the constellation of Andromeda may be Biela or may be another that has appeared merely by coincidence As far as the appearance ap-pearance of the celestial visitor i is concerned no inference can be drawn Comets vary in shape and size almost from day to day Pointed to the earth head on as the present comet is it cannot be said even whether i has the usual tail Tho comet now in sight presents pre-sents the usual characteristics According to Professor Rees the coma or coma uoublous envelope surrounding the nucleus is almost perfectly spherical spheri-cal The nucleus is well developed and elognated At times it seems to show signs of separation The streamer of light the tall usually accompanying a comet is as yet visible but whether this is due to a lack of that member or as already explained ex-plained to the position of the body cannot at present be determined Ever since the discovery of Bielas comet men have stood more or less in dread of the fiery visitor I a comet should strike the earth head on no one can say exactly what the consequences would be In all likelihood the particles composing the comet would be dissipated by friction long before tney passed through the fifty miles of atmosphere surrounding sur-rounding the earth |