Page:The story of the comets.djvu/157

IX. distrust anything stated by such men of skill and high character as Bessel, J. Herschel, W. Struve, and Maclear. Struve compared the appearance of the nucleus about the end of the first week of October to a fan-shaped flame emanating from a bright point; and subsequently to a red-hot coal of oblong form. On Oct. 12 it appeared like the stream of fire which issues from the mouth of a cannon at a discharge and when the sparks are driven backwards by

Fig. 43. HALLEY'S COMET, 1835, OCT. 11. (Smyth.)

a strong wind. At moments the flame was thought to be in motion, or exhibiting scintillations similar to those of an Aurora Borealis. A second small flame forming a great angle with the principal one was also remarked. On Nov. 5 the nebulosity independently of the flames (two of them being visible) had a remarkable arched form somewhat resembling a "powder horn". These phenomena, under different and varying names, were seen and commented upon by other astronomers, British and foreign. The annexed sketch by