Contents.
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CHAPTER XII.
COMETS IN THE SPECTROSCOPE.
The application of the Spectroscope to Comets.—Photography as applied to the Spectra of Comets.—Historical Survey of the progress made.—Four varieties of carbon Spectra.—Three Comets which have yielded special results.—Conclusions of Hasselberg.—The great Comets of 1881 and 1882.—Schäberle's Comet.—Wells's Comet.—Instruments of a special kind needed for the Spectra of Comets—Frost's Dictum.—Borelly's Comet of 1890 (i.).—Brooks's Comet of 1890 (ii.).—Swift's Comet of 1892 (i.) : Holmes's Comet of 1892 (iii.).—Rordame's Comet of 1893 (ii.).—Perrine-Griggs's Comet of 1902 (ii.).—Brooks's Comet of 1904 (i.).—Daniel's Comet of 1907 (iv.).—Morehouse's Comet of 1908 (iii.).—One of the most remarkable on record.—Summary of the present state of our knowledge.—Importance of Photography in the study of Comets.—Newall's Theory as to cometary radiation. |
174–91 |
CHAPTER XIII.
THE RELATION OF COMETS TO METEORS.
Association of Comets and Meteors.—Facts connected with Meteors necessary to be borne in mind.—Summary statement of these.—Meteor Showers of 1799 and 1832.—Shower of 1866.—Evident periodicity.—Researches of Quetelet and H. A. Newton.—Investigations by J. C. Adams.—Schiaparelli and the August Meteors.—Orbits of certain Meteor Swarms identical with the Orbits of certain Comets.—Four such cases of identity recognised.—The August, or Perseid, Meteors.—The Nov. 12, or Leonid, Meteors.—The April, or Lyrid, Meteors.—The Nov. 27, or Andromedes, Meteors.—The disappearance of Biela's Comet.—The certainty of the connection of the Andromedes Meteors with that Comet.—Recent investigations as to that Comet.—Review of the whole subject. |
192–201 |
CHAPTER XIV.
COMETS IN HISTORY AND POETRY.
Comets, objects of terror and alarm in all ages.—Opinions of the ancient Greeks.—Of Anaxagoras.—Of Democritus.—Of Apollonius and Zeno.—Sir G. C. Lewis's Summary of Greek opinion.—Ptolemy silent as to Comets.—Twelve varieties mentioned by Pliny.—Opinions of Seneca.—Of Paracelsus.—Napoleon and Comets.—The Romans not given to Astronomy.—Quotations from Virgil.—From Suetonius.—From Juvenal.—From Pliny.—From Plutarch.—Opinions of the old Chroniclers.—Quotation from William of Malmesbury.—Pope Calixtus III. and the Comet of 1456.—Admiral Smyth on this matter.—Leonard Digges.—John Gadbury.—Shakespeare's frequent mention of Comets.—Quotation from Julius Cæsar.—From Henry VI.—From Hamlet.—From Henry IV.—From The Taming of the Shrew.—Quotations from Milton.—Milton apparently a plagiarist from Tasso.—Quotation from Thomson.—From |
