Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 03.djvu/110

LEFT COMET 84 eOMINES vector, may be accounted for on the sup- position that a comet is a cloud of small masses, such as stones and fragments of meteoric iron, shining by reflected light alone, except where these masses impinge on each other, or on other matter circulating around the sun, and thus produce luminous gases along with considerable modifications of their rela- tive motion. The differences of motion of the meteoric fragments relatively to the earth present appearances analo- gous to those of a flock of sea-birds fly- ing in one plane, and only becoming as a long streak when the plane of the flock passes approximately through the spectator's eye. The so-called envelopes surrounding them are compared with the curling wreaths of tobacco smoke emitted from a pipe. On June 24, 1881, Wm. Huggins examined the bright comet then in the sky with the spectroscope. Assuming this to be similarly composed to other comets, he came to the conclu- sion that part of their light is reflected sunlight and part original light, and further that carbon is present in the cometary matter. Among the best known periodic comets are: (1) Biela's Cornet: named after M. Biela, an Austrian officer, who discovered it at Prague on Feb. 27 or 28, 1826, a comet which has a periodic time of about 6% years or 338 weeks. It returned in September, 1832, again in 1839, then in 1845; when, between Dec. 19, 1845, and Jan. 13, 1846, it separated into two comets, which went off in company, com- ing back together in 1852, since which time they have returned no more; but it has been discovered that when, toward the end of November, the earth inter- sects the lost double comet's path, there is a display of meteors. This was notably seen on Nov. 30, 1867, and on Nov. 27, 1872. Biela's is called also Gambart's Comet. (2) Doyutti's Comet: named after Dr. Donati of Florence, a comet discovered by Donati on June 2, 1858. Periodic time about 2,000 years. In 1910 two brilliant comets appeared; 1910A and Halley's. The latter had long been expected, but the other was new and came as a surprise to the astronomers. Consult "Story of the Comets," Chambers (1910). (3) Encke's Comet: named after Johann Franz Encke, Director of the Ob- servatory at Berlin, a comet the perio- dicity of which was detected by Encke in 1819. He proved it identical with Mechain and Messier's comet of 1786, with Herschel's of 1795, and Pons' of 1805. It appeared again in 1822, 1828, and at such intervals as to show that its periodic time is 3.29 years, or 1,210 days. Its orbit is everywhere nearer the sun than that of Jupiter. (4) Halley's Comet: named after the celebrated Edmund Halley, the friend of Newton, and, from 1720 to 1741-1742, English Astronomer-royal, a comet the first whose periodic time was ascer- tained. It is about 75 years. It was identical with the comets of 1456, 1531, and 1607, and appeared again in 1759 and 1835. This comet was due in 1910 when it appeared in January. Also in the same year a new comet — 1910A. Two new comets appeared in 1918, one dis- covered by Reid, June 12, the other by Bergdorf, Nov. 23. Five comets ap- peared in 1919, four of which were previously known. COMFORT, WILL LEVINGTON, an American novelist, born in Kalamazoo, Mich., in 1878. He was educated in the public schools of Detroit. During the Spanish-American War he served in the 5th United States Cavalry. He was war correspondent in the Philippines and China in 1889 and served in the same capacity during the Russo-Japanese War. His books, which acquired a wide circle of readers, include: "Routledge Rides Alone" (1910) ; "Down Among Men" (1913); "Child and Country" (1916); and "The Shielding Wing" (1918), etc. COMFBEY, the Symphytum officinale. The stem is 2-3 feet high, branched above. The flowers are in pairs, secund, and drooping. The corolla is large, yellow- ish-white, often purple. The plant is frequently found on the banks of rivers or in watery places generally. It flow- ers in May and June. It was formerly regarded as a vulnerary. The leaves gathered while young may be used as a substitute for spinach. Comfrey stewed in sugar, with a small amount of pare- goric added, makes a highly-prized do- mestic remedy for coughs and bronchial irritation. COMINES, PHILIPPE DE (ko-men'), a French chronicler; born in Comines, in 1445; was the trusted counselor of Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, of his son and successor Charles the Bold, of Louis XI., King of France, and his successor Charles VIII. His "Memoirs" supply the most trustworthy material we have for the history of his age. The first six books were written between 1488 and 1494, and the last two between 1497 and 1501; they were first printed in 1524-1525. He died at the chateau of Argenton, Oct. 13, 1510.