Melbourne, January 20. A very large comet was seen to-night, just above the southern horizon, at about half-past 8 o'clock, Mr. Ellery, the Government astronomer, reports that the comet, which is a stranger, was first seen last night at Stawell. To-night a very extended tail was seen from the observatory, but the nucleus was not observable. The comet is in the constellation Microscopium, the tail lying a little south of the bright star Fornalhaut, and has a declination of 35" south, and right ascension about 21 hours. Its motion cannot be stated yet, but to-morrow it will be known. The South Australian Advertiser, Friday 21 January 1887
The Great Southern Comet of 1887, or C/1887 B1 using its International Astronomical Union designation, was a bright comet seen from the Southern Hemisphere during January 1887. Later calculations indicated it to be part of the Kreutz Sungrazing group. Read more