Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-07-02

The REMARKABLE COMET OF LAST NIeHr -
We give below the observations Of two ditferep,
observers Of the remarkable comet that made ~.
appearance In the heavens so Unexpectedly Last
night:
"Aner The severe rain storm Of Last EVENING n
heavy bank Of clouds covered the no,tbsasfs,n
sky III about eleven O'Clock. About this time
scme gentlemen OF the L. =. Coast survey. en-
gagged at the ONCE. saw what they supposed IN he
brig ht auForal beam shooting no towards the
Ienitn from behind the dark masses CT cloud but
oeyo, a remark az to the unusual occurrence Of
TOE PnenoInena at This s. son, 10 attracted then
out Ittle attention lust before one O'Clock the
clocds having disappeared, the broad b.asp 81
nRnI proved TO be the tail Of a comet of extra
ordinary brill:ancY, the nucleus Of which u,s.
isretf than, ard very nearly as bright ss st,y ~
tne nrst magnitude, while the tail stretched ovsr
az arc OF at least eighty degrees sweeping mn
wards from an altitude of six or eight dsSref.
above the horizon TO the milky way In geneTsI
appearance this comet reminded the obseryer. ~
we greet comet If 1885, but the suddpnness Of its
sppfoacn' and enormous length Of tail when first
Sh, are perhaps unparalleled. II pay be this
- tne one long looked for by astronomsrs knouvn
soon Be ascertained.n va"
Editor Star: watched the comet between hal,
head appeared to be near the honnds;, ~, rs ss
concentrations Lynx and Ursa Major not far from
we head OF the latter About ousrter before t,,o
Sorilon PHs.ss sa .sGu; 7o above the northern
- al
we eM extended In straight line througb m.
CONSULTATIONS Crse MINORS and BsTcnIis -
nearly reached the Milky WI y PASS no sorn. dis.
Snee below Vega The total extent could not
was nearly s.. In briliiancy the nucleus .. ,ssii
we nlI, seemed somewhat inferior n that ~
me great comet Of 1883 The nucleus x,. 49,, =.
conspicuous on account Of It's large apparen, size,
tnouEn hardly approaching In intensrty OF Iioht,
81 OF !ne second magnitude Its eastern 1imh
vas better defined than the opposite one Wi,hiO
Nne envelope OF the nucleus strsame,. ,nn..,sd
ana u seemed to be the center of short mn i,s,ion
va. o1 IN waves along the tail. The head
va OF oiueish aud yellowish tint which rniht
have been produced 6y It's proximity 70 ths hl,,
ron me shape Of the head WA round nd r.rah
Ie:s pointed than that OF the comet OF Isss D'A
eIe seemed TO be an outer envelope over the
th", ~, wnicn, extending to about 1s', rendered
brightness much grester than thst ~ AZ Win .u, q
~y, Az THIS limit there was mdden dInjn,y
nVn IN the ofightness; beyond II the fsInte, ILL.,
Una, ,nauon seemed uniform. No central brigbts,
bebinS 80, o. along lis axis, nor any darker space
~ tne nucleus could be made ont Irhs
t,hsfaI outline was nearly equally. well dsensS
~, instance negr the brighter portion ~ IT,
49, iIIneT OF. the lower outline appea rsd ~ AZ
spnes,sscs IN, me brig hter part, Of a rather bu,hy
"a was eoout g. In its greatest vvid,b
T mo ne,r the had It's breadth wa. 800 M "
go I1e OF The tail, at first siobt aeemsd -
.o,al sHdlgnt, Vet thrre was sli0ht curv.tr.
r.. ~ 70 the pole about 2so from the np.1sa..
posite s1,a,a i again siig htv tnrned in the on,
e.. .sLi The upper outline. when AZ,
sseeh, seemed Just 10 pass over tbs ts.r tnsn nf"
49, sdnnsd Ursas Minors: later ths,,.
sPPe$red little below - N.As upper
oot.S Posnoie that this comet IN the ON. lo,,
Charles v s.I9aomers, knowI a. that on
Ia te''0o' comet win no doubt De SOON .. wn
".hingson, d. C. Z As.