Nov. 16, 1882] 
NATORE 
57 
accurately the comet’s position ; but should the weather 
continue fine, it will be possible to do this with the transit 
instrument. My observations this afternoon show that 
the comet was moving away from the sun again, and 
should this be maintained, it will become a morning, not 
an evening object. At 1.15 p.m. to-day the comet was 
only 9m. 45s. west from the centre of the sun, and 7m. of 
declination south ; by 5 p.m. the distance in right ascen- 
sion had increased three minutes; the declination was 
slightly less. Unless some rapid change in the direction 
of the motion takes place before to-morrow (and now that 
the comet is so near the sun this may result), the comet 
will be seen without the aid of a telescope, about seven 
degrees west of the sun. History tells us of wonderful 
comets which outshone the sun; but it is usual to receive 
these statements after liberal discount. Nevertheless the 
great comet of 1843 was easily seen by spectators when 
it was only 1° 23! from the sun (that is, about half the dis- 
tance between the comet and sun to-day at 1 p.m.); and 
at Parma the observers standing in the shade of a wall 
saw the comet with a tail four or five degrees in length, 
In Mexico, also, the comet was seen near the sun like a 
star of the first magnitude. It is probable, therefore, that 
the comet of 1843, the brightest of this century, was 
brighter than the present one. 
We are indebted to Mr. John Tebbutt, of the Private 
Observatory, Windsor, for the following communications 
respecting the comet :— 
September 16.—I succeeded in obtaining pretty good 
observations of the comet on the mornings of the 9th and 
10th instant, but since the latter date fog and cloud have 
prevented observation. The following are the positions 
secured :—September 8d. 17h. 54m. 52s., R.A.=gh. 37m. 
7°50s., Declination S. =o° 57’ 46’"4 ; September 9d. 17h. 
49m. 45s., R.A. gh. 45m. 47°81s., Declination S. = 0° 53’ 
362. A third position will, of course be necessary for 
the approximate determination of the orbit. In the ab- 
sence, however, of such a determination it may safely be 
stated that the comet is rapidly coming into conjunction 
with the sun, and near its ascending node. It is not at 
all improbable that the comet is passing between us and 
the sun, and that in consequence its tail will be pointed 
approximately towards the earth. As we do not at pre- 
sent know the exact apparent track of the stranger, it 
would be advisable to watch the sun’s disc at intervals 
during the next few days for a possible transit, and to 
look out at night for any indications of the aurora conse- 
quent on a possible near approach of the earth to the 
tail. It will be remembered that our passage through the 
tail of the great comet of 1861 was marked by a general 
exhibition of auroral phenomena. It is highly probable 
that the comet will, towards the close of next week, be- 
come an imposing object in the west during the evenings. 
Like the recent Wells comet, this body will doubtless be 
well observed with the transit circle in full sunlight. 
September 18.—The extraordinary interest which at- 
taches to the comet now visible will, I trust, afford a 
sufficient apology for my again trespassing so soon on 
your valuable space. Supposing, from the rapid increase 
in the brilliancy of the comet that it would probably be 
seen in full daylight, I turned my attention to the im- 
mediate neighbourhood of the sun about 1oh. a.m. yester- 
day. lat once found the comet without a telescope; it 
was visible about four or five degrees west of that 
luminary as a brilliant white dagger-like object. The 
head was beautifully distinct, and the tail could be 
readily traced for about twenty minutes of arc. I 
succeeded in obtaining eleven absolute determina- 
tions of position with the equatorial, the approximate 
right ascension and declination of the last observation, 
1th. 25m. a.m., being respectively 1th. 22m. and 1° 10’ 
north. I attempted to observe with the transit instru- 
ment. The comet entered the field of the telescope and 
was at once bisected by the declination wire; but, un- 
fortunately, just before it reached the first transit wire it 
was obscured by a passing cloud and remained so till just 
previously to its quitting the field, when it was still found 
to be bisected. I trust the Melbourne observers will not 
fail to avail themselves of every opportunity to observe 
with the transit circle. If my memory serves me well I 
believe the history of astronomy does not furnish any 
previous instance of a comet being seen near the 
sun with the unassisted eye since the appearance of 
the extraordinary and well-known comet of 1843. That 
body was seenat 3h. 6m. p.m. at Portland, U.S., by a Mr. 
Clark, and consequently in full sunlight, and its distance 
from the sun measured by him with an ordinary sextant. 
The present comet was still plainly to be seen without the 
telescope at 5h. p.m. yesterday. To-day it will probably be 
too nearly in a line with the sun to be seen ; but on Tuesday 
and Wednesday it will, I think, again be visible. In the 
absence of any calculation I will here venture to offer one 
ortwo remarks. The comet appears, from a rough inspec- 
tion of its apparent path, to be moving in a track some- 
what resembling that which would be followed at this 
time of the year by the great comet of 1843 on its way to 
perihelion, and it is a significant fact that the earth is 
to-day almost exactly on the line of the comet’s nodes, 
and on the ascending side of the sun. At Greenwich 
mean noon to-day the longitude of the earth will be 3554°, 
while that of the ascending node of the great comet of 
1843 is about 358°. It will be remembered that at the 
time of the appearance of the great comet of 7880 the 
parabolic elements of that body were found to be almost 
precisely those of the great comet of 1843 (see my paper 
read before the Royal Society of New South Wales in 
July, 1880)—and it was therefore considered that the two 
bodies were identical. It will be remembered, too, that 
at a discussion at one of the Royal Astronomical Society’s 
meetings it was suggested that although the period 
between the returns of the comet in 1843 and 1880 was 
37 years, the time of revolution might be greatly 
shortened by the comet’s passage through the sun’s 
coronal atmosphere. The question therefore arises—Is 
the appearance of the present comet a return of the same 
body? Should the comet make its appearance in the 
west after sunset, it is quite certain that it cannot be 
identical with that of 1843 and 1880; but if it should now 
rapidly revolve round the sun, and make its appearance 
again west of that luminary, it must certainly be a comet 
of very small perihelion distance. Whether it is the comet 
of 1843 and 1880 time alone will decide. I daresay your 
readers will callto mind the speculation of Mr. Proctor 
on the probable return of the comet of 1843 and 1880. 
P.S.—At 11h. 35m. a.m. to-day (September 18) I again 
detected the comet with the unassisted eye. It was then 
about three-quarters of a degree west of the sun’s west- 
ern limb, and apparently moving west. In this case the 
comet in a few days must be again looked for in the 
morning sky. 
The Herald writes:—The comet discovered on the 7th 
instant has increased so greatly in brilliancy that it can 
be discerned in daylight with the naked eye. The fact 
was discovered by Mr. Ellery, Government Astronomer 
in Melbourne, at noon, and by him co nmunicated to Mr. 
Russell; but the unusual phenomenon was observed by 
Mr. Tebbutt, of the private observatory, Windsor, at 
about to o'clock. The authorities seem to agree that the 
history of astronomy does not furnish any previous 
instance of a comet being seen near the sun, as this is, 
since the extraordinary and well-known visitant of 1843. 
It is probable, Mr. Russell states, that the comet may be 
seen about seven degrees west of the sun, from which 
luminary it is apparently, however, moving away ; and, 
should this movement be maintained, it will become a 
morning and not an evening object. 
So far the Sydney journal. 
We are indebted to Sir H. Lefroy for an extract from 
