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Letter to Editor
October 27, 1825
The Virginian
Lynchburg, Virginia
What is this article about?
A skeptical letter questions a New York Gazette extract in the Virginian newspaper claiming a comet's tail, over five million miles long, will contact Earth and cause warmth. The writer argues it's a luminous appearance opposite the sun, not a real tail, and jests it might melt North Pole ice for Capt. Symmes.
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To the Editors of the Virginian
In the Virginian of the 20th, I saw an
extract from the N. Y. Gazette, estimating
the length of the Comet's tail at more than
five millions of miles, and, after attributing
the warmth of the weather to the presence
of this immense body of fire, the opinion
is advanced that the tail will soon come in
contact with the earth. Please to ask the
author, what is the length of its head, and
the distance between its head and tail?
and whether the tail is in the front or rear?
It is to be hoped that should this tail of fire
come in contact with any part of the earth;
it may melt the ice at the North Pole, to
let Capt. Symmes in. My opinion is that
the comet has no tail, more than the moon
or any other planet. There is, indeed, a
luminous appearance to a considerable distance, directly opposite to the sun, occasioned by the brilliancy of the comet, and,
could the sun be removed to the opposite
side, the tail would then stand opposite to him. That the comet may increase the
heat, I am willing to admit; but whether
the tail will come in contact with the earth
may be better known hereafter, though not
any time.
In the Virginian of the 20th, I saw an
extract from the N. Y. Gazette, estimating
the length of the Comet's tail at more than
five millions of miles, and, after attributing
the warmth of the weather to the presence
of this immense body of fire, the opinion
is advanced that the tail will soon come in
contact with the earth. Please to ask the
author, what is the length of its head, and
the distance between its head and tail?
and whether the tail is in the front or rear?
It is to be hoped that should this tail of fire
come in contact with any part of the earth;
it may melt the ice at the North Pole, to
let Capt. Symmes in. My opinion is that
the comet has no tail, more than the moon
or any other planet. There is, indeed, a
luminous appearance to a considerable distance, directly opposite to the sun, occasioned by the brilliancy of the comet, and,
could the sun be removed to the opposite
side, the tail would then stand opposite to him. That the comet may increase the
heat, I am willing to admit; but whether
the tail will come in contact with the earth
may be better known hereafter, though not
any time.
What sub-type of article is it?
Comedic
Informative
Provocative
What themes does it cover?
Science Nature
What keywords are associated?
Comet Tail
Astronomy
New York Gazette
Virginian Newspaper
Capt Symmes
Polar Ice
Luminous Appearance
What entities or persons were involved?
To The Editors Of The Virginian
Letter to Editor Details
Recipient
To The Editors Of The Virginian
Main Argument
the comet's 'tail' is merely a luminous appearance caused by its brilliancy opposite the sun, not a physical body that will contact earth; the writer questions the extract's claims and humorously suggests it could melt polar ice.
Notable Details
References Capt. Symmes And Hollow Earth Theory
Compares Comet To Moon Or Planets Without Tails
Sarcastic Questions About Head, Distance, And Tail Position