Page:The story of the comets.djvu/183

X. scarcely distinguishable in the telescope, to predict, some months in advance, its approaching brilliancy, and thus the comet was observed with all the advantage of previous preparation and anticipation. "The perihelion passage occurred at the most favourable moment for presenting the comet to good advantage. When nearest the Earth the direction of the tail was nearly perpendicular to the line of vision,

DONATI'S COMET, 1858, SEPT. 30. (Smyth.)

so that its proportions were seen without foreshortening. Its situation in the latter part of its course afforded also a fair sight of the curvature of the train, which seems to have been exhibited with unusual distinctness, contributing greatly to the impressive effect of a full-length view." This comet, though surpassed by many others in size, has not often been equalled in the intense brilliancy of its nucleus,