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Great Comet of 1861, artwork
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Great Comet of 1861, artwork
The Great Comet of 1861 formally designated C/1861 J1 and 1861 II, was a comet that was visible to the naked eye for approximately 3 months. It was categorized as a Great Comet, one of eight in the 19th century.It was discovered by John Tebbutt of Windsor, New South Wales, Australia, on May 13, 1861, with an apparent magnitude of +4, a month before perihelion (June 11). It was not visible in the northern hemisphere until June 29, but it arrived before word of the comets discovery.The comet of 1861 interacted with the Earth in an almost unprecedented way. For two days, when the comet was at its closest (0.1326 AU), the Earth was actually within the comets tail, and streams of cometary material converging towards the distant nucleus could be seen. By day also the comets gas and dust even obscured the Sun. By the middle of August the comet was no longer visible to the naked eye, but it was visible in telescopes until May 1862. An elliptical orbit with a period of about 400 years was calculated, which would indicate a previous appearance about the middle of the 15th century, and a return in the 23rd century.As of 1992 this Great Comet had traveled more than 100 AU from the Sun, making it even further away than dwarf planet Eris. It will come to aphelion around 2063
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Media ID 6316161
© Detlev van Ravenswaay
August Brightest Coma Comet Core Drawing Gases Gasses History Of Science Horizon July June Lake Largest Passing Solar System Star Stars Tail Tails Visible
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This print showcases the awe-inspiring beauty of the Great Comet of 1861. With its striking tail stretching across the vast expanse of space, this comet graced our skies for a remarkable three months. Discovered by John Tebbutt in Australia, it quickly gained recognition as one of the eight Great Comets observed during the 19th century. What makes this particular comet truly extraordinary is its interaction with Earth. For two incredible days, our planet found itself within the cometary tail, witnessing streams of cometary material converging towards its distant nucleus. The celestial spectacle was so intense that even during daylight hours, the comet's gas and dust obscured our very own Sun. Although no longer visible to the naked eye by mid-August, telescopes continued to capture glimpses of this magnificent cosmic traveler until May 1862. Scientists calculated an elliptical orbit with a period spanning approximately 400 years for this Great Comet, suggesting a previous appearance around the middle of the 15th century and anticipating its return in the distant future - specifically around the year 2063. As we admire this stunning artwork captured by Detlev van Ravenswaay from Science Photo Library, let us marvel at both nature's grandeur and humanity's ability to document these celestial wonders that remind us how small we are in comparison to the vastness of space.
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