Nature February 15th 1872
The Great Comet of 1861
The following observation may interest you. It is taken from
a volume entitled “The Industrial Progress of New South Wales”, published by
authority of the Colonial Government.
Under the head of Astronomical Progress is a paper by Mr
Tebbutt, in which he says that while observing in Australia on the morning of
July 1st, 1861 (i.e. really, in the afternoon before sunset of our
June 30th), he noticed the widening out of the branches of the tail
of the comet then visible. He remarks that this observation is very interesting
when taken in connection with the announcement made by Mr hind, that “it
appears not only possible, but even probable, that in the course of June 30th
1861, the Earth passed through the tail of the comet, at a distance of perhaps
two thirds of its length from the nucleus”.
There were at least two observers in England of what was probably the opposite effect of perspective (viz, the closing up of the branches of the tail) on the evening of June 30th. The rapid, angular motion of one if the streamers was separately observed by Mr George Williams of Liverpool, and the Rev T W Webb, of Hardwick, the latter of whom has given a detailed account of his observations in the “Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society,” vol xxii, p311.
According to these observations, our actual passage through the
streamers of the tail must have taken place about sunset on the evening of June
30th
A C Ranyard
www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk
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