Abstract
I AM much obliged to Mr. Christie for his answer to my question. There can remain no doubt that Brorsen's comet does not now give the same spectrum as, according to Huggins's observations, it did in 1868. The difference in position between the brightest lines in the two spectra of carbon is, it is true, very small, but if it were possible it would be a step gained to decide which of the two lines the brightest comet band coincides with, 5198.4 or 5165.5, since as far as experimental evidence goes at present one of these lines is due to carbon-vapour and the other to an oxide of carbon. I fear that Prof, Piazzi Symth's theory that the spectrum in question is caused by hydrocarbon must be rejected for experimental reasons which I will presently recapitulate. I have had no experience in comet-spectroscopy, not having access to any telescope of sufficient aperture, and I do not wish, therefore, to seem to make light of the achievement of Mr. Christie and Prof. Young; but if it were possible to adjust the occulting bar so as to completely hide (but only just hide) the least refrangible edge of the brightest comet-band, then I should imagine that, on flashing in the spectrum of the alcohol-tube, its band would be seen beyond the bar if the comet-spectrum be, as is most probable, that which I have called “Carbon No. I.”
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WATTS, W. The Spectrum of Brorsen's Comet. Nature 20, 94 (1879). https://doi.org/10.1038/020094a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/020094a0
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