C/1882 F1 (Wells)
A bright sungrazing comet discovered by Charles S. Wells in 1882.
Comet Wells, officially named C/1882 F1, is a parabolic sungrazing comet that was visible without a telescope in early 1882. It holds the distinction of being the only comet discovered by American astronomer Charles S. Wells. Despite reaching a peak brightness of magnitude –6.0—placing it among the brightest comets on record—it failed to attract widespread notice because it appeared only briefly in the twilight sky, unlike the Great Comet that followed in September of that year.
Charles S. Wells first spotted the comet on photographic plates from the Dudley Observatory in Albany, New York, on the morning of 18 March 1882. Observatory director Lewis Boss described it as a "small and bright" object in the constellation Hercules. Astronomers tracked it telescopically through April as it drew nearer to Earth. By May, it had become visible to the naked eye at 4th magnitude, and was briefly mistaken for a comet seen during the total solar eclipse of 17 May 1882; later analysis showed that object was a different one, now known as X/1882 K1 (Tewfik).
As the comet approached perihelion in June 1882, it brightened rapidly to magnitude 0 and developed a tail 5 degrees long. However, its low position in the twilight sky allowed only short viewing windows. Several astronomers still managed to observe it in broad daylight, at which point it reached its peak magnitude of –6.0.
Quick Facts
- Discoverer
- Charles S. Wells
- Discovery Site
- Dudley Observatory
- Discovery Date
- 18 March 1882
- Designations
- 1882 I, 1882aICQ1
- Orbit Ref
- jpl
- Epoch
- 20 June 1882 (JD 2408616.5)
- Observation Arc
- 114 days
- Obs
- 41
- Perihelion
- 0.061 AU
- Aphelion
- 17,041 AU
- Semimajor
- 8,521 AU
- Max Speed
- 171 km/s
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The comet was discovered from photographic plates taken by Charles S. Wells on the morning of 18 March 1882, a first for the Dudley Observatory in Albany, New York. The observatory's director, Lewis Boss, described the find as a 'small and bright' object in the constellation Hercules. The comet was further observed telescopically throughout April 1882 as it gradually approached the Earth. It reached naked-eye visibility the following month as it became a 4th-magnitude object, and was briefly thought to be the same comet observed during the total solar eclipse of 17 May 1882 until later reanalysis revealed it was a different object, now known as X/1882 K1 (Tewfik).
In June 1882, the comet rapidly brightened as it approached perihelion, increasing its brightness to magnitude 0, and a tail measuring 5 degrees in length. However, it never became prominent enough to attract widespread public attention due to it being only briefly observable for brief periods in twilight. Despite this, several astronomers did manage to see the comet in broad daylight, by this time it had reached its peak magnitude of –6.0, making it one of the brightest comets ever recorded alongside the later Great Comet of September 1882.
Reader's Guide
Comet Wells holds significance as a bright but overlooked sungrazing comet. Discovered by Charles S. Wells at the Dudley Observatory, it was the first comet discovered from that institution. Its peak magnitude of –6.0 places it among the brightest comets ever recorded, comparable to the Great Comet of September 1882. However, its unfavorable positions in the twilight sky prevented it from becoming a public spectacle, unlike the later great comet. The comet was initially confused with another object observed during the solar eclipse of 17 May 1882, but later reanalysis distinguished it as a separate comet, now designated X/1882 K1 (Tewfik). Its legacy lies in its extreme brightness despite limited visibility, and its role as the sole cometary discovery of Charles S. Wells.
Did You Know?
- Comet Wells was discovered from photographic plates on 18 March 1882, a first for the Dudley Observatory.
- Several astronomers observed the comet in broad daylight at its brightest.
More in Named Comets, Part 2 1-24
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