1880 as regards its appearance, and Finlay was so impressed by the resemblance that he took steps to investigate its orbit, and, strange to say, found that the resemblance even extended to that detail. His conclusion was thus expressed:—"These elements though of course, rough, prove conclusively that the comet belongs to the family of 'Sun-grazers' of which 1843 (i.), 1880 (i.), and 1882 (ii.) are members."[1]
Fig. 89.
._On_May_12.jpg)
THE GREAT COMET OF 1901 (ii.) ON MAY 12.
(Drawn by J. Lunt.)
Sawerthal's Comet of 1888 (i.) exhibited on March 27 a triple nucleus not unlike that of the great Comet of 1882.[2] This comet had a tail which on April 11 was 5° long. It revolves in an elliptic orbit to which a period of 1615 years has been assigned. The configuration of the head was very remarkable and unusual.
The Comet of 1901 (i.), discovered at Paysandu in South America on April 12, but scarcely reached from any obser-
