Comet Brooke and the Crossley Telescope

 

Comet Brooke and the Crossley Reflector

James Keeler at the Lick Observatory in California having just brought the 3 foot reflector presented to the Lick Observatory by Mr Crossley into fair working order employed it in photographing the comet discovered by Mr Brooke on October 20^th 1898.

Keeler obtained photographs on 11 consecutive nights from November 4^th to November 14^th. After this the work was discontinued by the twilight and the construction of the mounting for the telescope the maximum exposure for the photographs had been reduced to 13 minutes.

The best photograph was taken on November 5^th and on appearance the comet resembled comet b 1894 Gale, the tail measured only about .75 of a degree long and is very straight and not too distinct.

The image shown is one taken by Max Wolf at the Heidleberg Observatory on October 23^rd 1898.