21 Oct
2013
21 Oct
'13
9:25 a.m.
More info on Encke's appearance in earlier apparitions is given on this page: http://cometography.com/pcomets/002p.html I found it particularly interesting that as far back as 1822 (its first predicted return), observers viewing it a couple of weeks after perhelion described it as: "like a faint nebula of a round form" and somewhat later as having "the same nebulous, orbicular appearance as when first seen." This was also an interesting note: "The comet's longest recorded tail length was 3 degrees in 1805, while it reached 2 degrees in 1871 and 1961." So, not an impressive tail in modern times ever, it would seem. John