Book contents
- Frontmatter
- EDITOR'S PREFACE
- PREFACE
- Contents
- LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
- CHAPTER I BELIEFS AND SUPERSTITIONS RELATIVE TO COMETS
- CHAPTER II COMETARY ASTRONOMY UP TO THE TIME OF NEWTON
- CHAPTER III THE MOTIONS AND ORBITS OF COMETS
- CHAPTER IV PERIODICAL COMETS
- CHAPTER V PERIODICAL COMETS
- CHAPTER VI THE WORLD OF COMETS AND COMETARY SYSTEMS
- CHAPTER VII PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL CONSTITUTION OF COMETS
- CHAPTER VIII PHYSICAL TRANSFORMATIONS OF COMETS
- CHAPTER IX MASS AND DENSITY OF COMETS
- CHAPTER X THE LIGHT OF COMETS
- CHAPTER XI THEORY OF COMETARY PHENOMENA
- CHAPTER XII COMETS AND SHOOTING STARS
- CHAPTER XIII COMETS AND THE EARTH
- SECTION I COMETS WHICH HAVE APPROACHED NEAREST TO THE EARTH
- SECTION II COMETS AND THE END OF THE WORLD
- SECTION III MECHANICAL AND PHYSICAL EFFECTS OF A COLLISION WITH A COMET
- SECTION IV CONSEQUENCES OF A COLLISION BETWEEN A COMET AND THE EARTH ACCORDING TO THE MECHANICAL THEORY OF HEAT
- SECTION V THE COMET OF 1680, THE DELUGE, AND THE END OF THE WORLD
- SECTION VI PASSAGE OF THE EARTH THROUGH THE TAIL OF A COMET IN 1861
- CHAPTER XIV PHYSICAL INFLUENCES OF COMETS
- CHAPTER XV SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT COMETS
- I ELLIPTIC ELEMENTS OF THE RECOGNISED PERIODICAL COMETS OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM
- II GENERAL CATALOGUE OF THE ORBITS OF COMETS
- Plate section
SECTION V - THE COMET OF 1680, THE DELUGE, AND THE END OF THE WORLD
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 March 2012
- Frontmatter
- EDITOR'S PREFACE
- PREFACE
- Contents
- LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
- CHAPTER I BELIEFS AND SUPERSTITIONS RELATIVE TO COMETS
- CHAPTER II COMETARY ASTRONOMY UP TO THE TIME OF NEWTON
- CHAPTER III THE MOTIONS AND ORBITS OF COMETS
- CHAPTER IV PERIODICAL COMETS
- CHAPTER V PERIODICAL COMETS
- CHAPTER VI THE WORLD OF COMETS AND COMETARY SYSTEMS
- CHAPTER VII PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL CONSTITUTION OF COMETS
- CHAPTER VIII PHYSICAL TRANSFORMATIONS OF COMETS
- CHAPTER IX MASS AND DENSITY OF COMETS
- CHAPTER X THE LIGHT OF COMETS
- CHAPTER XI THEORY OF COMETARY PHENOMENA
- CHAPTER XII COMETS AND SHOOTING STARS
- CHAPTER XIII COMETS AND THE EARTH
- SECTION I COMETS WHICH HAVE APPROACHED NEAREST TO THE EARTH
- SECTION II COMETS AND THE END OF THE WORLD
- SECTION III MECHANICAL AND PHYSICAL EFFECTS OF A COLLISION WITH A COMET
- SECTION IV CONSEQUENCES OF A COLLISION BETWEEN A COMET AND THE EARTH ACCORDING TO THE MECHANICAL THEORY OF HEAT
- SECTION V THE COMET OF 1680, THE DELUGE, AND THE END OF THE WORLD
- SECTION VI PASSAGE OF THE EARTH THROUGH THE TAIL OF A COMET IN 1861
- CHAPTER XIV PHYSICAL INFLUENCES OF COMETS
- CHAPTER XV SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT COMETS
- I ELLIPTIC ELEMENTS OF THE RECOGNISED PERIODICAL COMETS OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM
- II GENERAL CATALOGUE OF THE ORBITS OF COMETS
- Plate section
Summary
Ancient apparitions of the comet of 1680, on the hypothesis of a revolution of 575 years–Their coincidence with famous events–Whiston 's theory of the earth: our globe is an ancient comet, whose movements and constitution have been modified by comets–The catastrophe of the Deluge caused by the eighth anterior apparition of the comet of 1680–Final catastrophe : burning of the earth–Future return of our globe to the condition of a comet.
The comet of 1680 is one which has been made the subject of considerable discussion. If we adopt the calculations of Halley, confirmed in the first instance by Newton, it would be that which appeared in the years 531 and 1106 of our era, announced in the year B.C. 43. the death of Cæsar, presided at the taking of Troy, and eleven or twelve centuries earlier, was the direct cause of the deluge mentioned in the Mosaic records.
In 1106, the apparition of this celebrated comet did not, it is true, coincide with any great historical event; but, according to the chroniclers, it was of great brilliancy, ‘ resembling a flaming torch, covering with its rays a great portion of the heavens, and filling all minds with terror.’
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- Information
- The World of Comets , pp. 480 - 485Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2010First published in: 1877