2-982-463 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

Telescopic Appearances of Donati's Comet, as seen from the Cambridge Observatory, Sept. 21, 8p.m, 1858. 'As it but seldom happens that such a favourable opportunity occurs for examining the changes which take place in the head and nucleus of a large comet approaching to and receding from the sun as in the magnificent object which has just disappeared from sight, a few particulars respecting those may not be misplaced in the columns of the Illustrated London News...On Sept. 21...the nucleus was still sharply defined, and with a bright disc; but a regularly-shaped luminous sector, not so bright as the nucleus itself, had replaced the former indefinite, fanshaped light. The direction of the luminous sector (as seen in an inverting telescope [depicted in the engraving]) was inclined very considerably (perhaps forty degrees) to the right of the axis of the tail. The nucleus and head were separated by a dark interval from the head and margins of the tail'. From "Illustrated London News", 1858.