The Pendulum
Thursday, January 16,1955
Hailey’s Comet sparks interest
By Jonathan Martin
Futures Editor
Many phenomenons exist today
that intrigue people the world
over. One of these phomomena
that intrigues people the most is
Hailey’s comet.
Because comets have not been
studied in depth, not much is
known about them. Although
Hailey’s Comet has been observ
ed by people through telescopes
for hundreds of years, it only
passes in its orbit near earth once
every 75 years.
Hdley’s Comet has not been
observed by anyone since 1910.
The science communities around
the world will make sure that they
make a thorough study of the
comet, especially in January and
again in March.
One of the most educated peo
ple on comets at Elon College is
Dr. Frank Harris, associate pro
fessor of physics.
He spoke on Monday at a lec
ture sponsored by the Honors
Program about Hailey’s Comet
and comets in general and about
how one may observe the famous
comet.
“Hailey’s Comet is no more
exciting than other comets,” said
Harris. “Hailey’s comet is just
one of 100 comets that visit us
periodically.”
Harris said that “no one really
knows” where comets come
from, but he added that
astronomers beleive comets
represent material of which the
solar system was formed.
A comet consists of a nucleus
and a tail. The brightness of a
comet is controlled by the amount
of material in the nucleus that can
be vaporized to make a tail. The
tail of a comet always points away
from the sun which will make the
head of Hailey’s Comet appear to
be chasing the tail when it passes
by the earth again in March.
One of the the surprising
asp>ects about the study of this
comet around the world is the fact
that the United States does not
plan to launch a probe to study it.
Many European countries and the
Soviet Union are sending probes
Elon student enjoys pubs
from another perspective
By Charles Lawrence
Special to the Pendulum
Elon students that travel to England have a chance
to enjoy their pubs. Known for their ale and at
mosphere, English pubs are interesting to visit.
When I lived in England, I had a chance to view
pub life from the other side of the counter-the work
ing side.
Situated an hour from London in a small farm
ing village in South Oxfordshire, the pub I worked
in was frequented by locals and a fair amount of
tourists who kept the conversation interesting.
Here, under the eye of my boss, Mr. Brian Fitz
patrick, I learned the pub trade. Members of his
family had been in the trade for hundreds of years,
so I had a good teacher.
He taught me how to keep the ales and lagers at
the proper temperature, how to manually tap the
kegs, how much beer to order, and how to keep the
pub in good working condition.
There is a saying in England that “the people
make the pub.” Mr. Fitzpatrick was a jolly man
who was always ready with a joke for the customers
which brought him more business. I have never
been in a place where complete strangers started
spontaneous conversation with each other so easily.
The local rugby club used the pub as a watering
hole after their home matches. On many Saturday
afternoons, the ale would flow and the pub would
be filled with the loud singing of bawdy songs.
Working in a pub doesn’t exactly pay well. The
British equivalent to the dollar is about $2.60 an
hour. Money tips are not given in pubs unless food
is served. If the customer feels obligated, he will
offer to buy the bartender a drink. To refuse the
offer might be considered impolite, so the proper
reply might be, “Yes, I’ll have a half (pint).
Thanks.”
English people are very polite and it was a
pleasure to deal with the general public there. Since
each pub is different, I often travelled in my spare
time to other pubs in the area.
Small country pubs had the best-kept ale, the best
food, and the best atmosphere. It is interesting to
be in a place that is structurally the same as it was
400 years ago. A roaring fire, good friends, good
food and a pint of beer in comfortable surroundings
can make a pub visit a memorable experience.
If you want to visit one of these pubs, you had
better hurry. They are being replaced by moder
nized versions of pubs such as the ones in London.
If you go to England, take time to go out of your
way and visit a country pub. I know you’ll enjoy it.
that will pass through the tail of
Hailey’s Comet and gather data.
Harris pointed out that in 1985,
NASA sponsored a project nam
ed ICE (International Cometary
Explorer) that launched a probe
to fly through the tail of a comet.
He said that this was the first
human artifact to fly through a
comet. The data is now being
analyzed.
The comet can best be seen
during January after sunset in the
southwestern sky. However, Dr.
Harris pointed out that a crescent
moon is in the area of the sky that
the comet is in which gives off a
lot of light making it difficult to
see the comet.
He said that the comet will soon
begin to round the sun and won’t
be seen again until March in the
southeastern sky just before
sunrise. The comet will be the
clearest below the equator.
Because the comet is not as
close to earth as it was in 1910
it is not as spectacular. According
to Harris, it only looks like a
“fuzzy star with a tail.”
Many superstitions are con
nected with Hailey’s Comet. It is
depicted on the Bayeux Tapestry
in connection with the conquest
of England by William the Con
queror in 1066. It is also the great
comet of 1456 that had caused a
great panic among Christians
because it was thought to be
associated with the capture of
Constantinople by the Turks.
Comets are mostly studied to
day by amateurs which are
responsible for discovering many
of them. Harris added that
whoever discovers a comet has
that comet named after him or
her.
Help bring the world together
Host an exchange student
As part of International Youth Exchange, a Presidential Initiative
for peace, your family welcomes a teenager from another country into
your home and into your way of life.
Volunteer host families from all segments of American sooety
are being selected. If you’d like to be one of them, send for
more information. ,
Help bring the world together, one friendship at a time. 1
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