The Great Comet of 1882

Abstract

IN your issue of May 28 (p. 82) is a communication about the comet of 1882 as seen in the act of passing close to the sun. As attention has thus been called to that comet, I desire to report a remarkable peculiarity of the tail as observed by myself, October 3, 1882, about daybreak. It was my first view of this glorious comet. Other persons on the east sides of the islands had seen it several days earlier. The peculiarity noted was the abrupt ending of the tail, which was cut off sharply at an oblique angle, on an incurved line. The following representation is copied from one in my note-book made at the time. AA represents the eastern ridge of the Kahakuloa canyon on the north end of Maui, where I was sleeping. B is the brilliant end of the vast tail like a scimitar blade, fully as bright as the moon. C is copied from my note-book. It was evidently meant to indicate the continuation of the tail towards the nucleus, as seen on subsequent mornings, when farther from the sun. D is the terminal edge of the tail, as sharp as the outer limb of the moon, and of fullest strength of lustre. Altogether it formed a rather appalling apparition. Clouds soon obscured it. No farther view was obtained for two or three days, when the end of the tail had assumed the usual misty, indefinite outline.