The Comet

THE comet was well seen nere on Monday, October 23, for some considerable time about 5 a.m., though clouds occasionally hid part of it. I noticed the following:-1. The length that was clearly visible was such, that if the head had been placed on Sirius, the tail would have reached to Orion's belt. 2. The lower edge of the tail was comparatively sharp and brightly defined, while there was 1.0 well-defined upper edge. 3. At first sight the tail ended, fairly abruptly, in a short fork. But on glancing to one side, so as to allow the image to fall on a more sensitive part of the retina, one became aware that there two forks were continued in a very faint and hazy manner as far again as the length of the comet first noticed (mentioned and measured in (1.)) Or, more strictly, one became aware of a black rift in the sky behind the comet, in its direction, above and below which the sky was faintly luminous. One may say that at first sight the comet ended like a house-marlin's, on more careful observation like a swallow's, tail. The total length of the comet thus seen was enormous; and the appearance suggested an even greater extension.