by various authors

“ At about 11h. om. G.M.T. on June 29 a transit of the "following" nuclear jet of the great comet over a star of 8m. was observed by Mr. N. E. Green, of 39, Circus Road, St. John's Wood, and by me, with a 121⁄2-inch reflector belonging to Mr. Green. Definition was very good and tranquil. As the star became involved in the jet it gradually increased in size, and when seen through the brightest part of the jet traversed resembled an ill-defined planetary disk about 3′′ in diameter. At this moment the comet seemed to have two nuclei similar in aspect and brightness. ”

“ The total quantity of light given by the head of the comet is considerable, and many persons have tried to compare it to a star of the first magnitude. In reality its intrinsic brightness is very slight. I had occasion last night, by slightly displacing the telescope, to look at the spectrum of a star of fifth or sixth magnitude; the line of light produced was at least as bright as the spectrum of the nucleus. ”

“ With regard to the physical constitution of the comet, M. Wolf points out that while Coggia's comet (1874) —the only large comet visible on the horizon of Paris since spectrum analysis came into use—was at first telescopic, developed rapidly, and disappeared at the most interesting stage, the present comet comes to us already very much developed after its passage through perihelion. The transformations of the nucleus and its envelopes are extremely rapid (as the drawings show) . ”