THE STRANGE LIGHT AGAIN.


IlYDRoGRAHIcAL OFFICE
March IL 14d3
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Advantage was taken Of the clear sky this NOR.
ming to examine the d sc of the sun for tho spo,
which SO much attracted our attention and exci,.
cd our .speculations few days ago. 1t was gone
Subsequent observations may enable us to deter
mine whether or not this spot was the nebua OF
a comet.


The wind was high and the sun unobscurcd af
ter ~ A. NJ. and, though the day was very un-
favorable for observations, search for the Come,
was diligently removed. 1t could not be soen
From sunset till the stars came out, our teIe-
scopes were intently pointed to the western sky.
with the hopes Of catching at least a glimpse OF
the Comet through tho fading twilight. But we
were compelled 10 content ourselves with admir-.
ing the wonderful beauty AMI grandeur of its train
the first traces of which wero seen at Oh. 2m, 81.
derial time. At 6h. -2Sm. its greatest breadth
was deg. 40 mIn., as nearly as could be ascer.
tanned, for the bright moonlight rendered tho mea.
surement imperfect. Tho curve, before describ.
ed, was again seen this evening, and in tho same
position, but much more indistinctIy. At ten
minutes past 8 o'clock the tail bad not gone down
but had gradually faded away in the haze of the
west.


Comparing my own observations with the ac.
counts which have already reached US from diff.
ferenf paris OF the country, there appears now 10
be but ttle doubt but that this is the tail OF
ct, and that the head itself has been seen at mid
uay ~ tnP rsnSt WIN tho naked eye., 1T so, for
length oftail and magnitude of nebula, it may be
classed among the most remarkable that have CIV.
erappeared. In The year 43, B. c., shisto.ians
tell us Of a hairy ssar that was seen h; daylicht.
In tho year a. D. I402, two Comets were Seen
in broad day. and the tal Of one of them at noon.
rYcHo BRanE discovered Comet by dayIisht az
1877. The Comet Of l741 could be seen IN the
day time without the aid of glasses. ItstaiI,
though not so long as tns, was curved, and form.
ed an arc of 90 dogs though. for part of The time,
i had several tails, the length Of which varied
from 80 deg. to 40 deg.


Tho Comet of l6SO-ihe most celebrated OF
modern times--had tail computed at from 20
to 30 deg That of 1918 had The la, gest tail on
record-lO4 deg; and this vies with that in
length.


"The ta;l, says VINCE, in lis Astronomy in
creascs as the Comet approaches its perheon;
Immediately after which, it is longest aud most lu.
minous, and thon it is little bent and convex to.
wards those parts to which the Comet is moving;
the tail then decreases


If this Comet has obeyed this rule, it has alroa-
dy doubled the sun, and is now on its way back,
to be again lost in the regions Of space.


Al. F. MAURY, Lieut.. U. S. Navy.


Nat. lntelligencer.