Great Comet of 1264
A brilliant comet linked to the death of Pope Urban IV.
The Great Comet of 1264, known today as C/1264 N1, ranks among the brightest comets ever recorded. It first became visible in July 1264 and could be seen until the close of September.
Initially spotted in the evening sky after sunset, it reached its most spectacular phase in the following weeks, when it appeared in the morning in the northeast. Its tail was visible long before the comet’s head rose above the horizon. The head itself resembled a dim, indistinct star, while the tail spread from it like flames, extending nearly 100 degrees from the nucleus toward the middle of the sky. The comet’s brilliance peaked in late August and early September, when the head barely cleared the eastern horizon at dawn and the tail stretched past the mid-heaven toward the west.
Chroniclers of the era linked the comet to events in Europe, particularly the death of Pope Urban IV. He reportedly fell ill on the very day the comet was first seen and died on October 3, 1264, the day it vanished. Some said the “prodigy of a hairy star” caused his sickness and departed once its work was done. The comet also appears in the Galician–Volhynian Chronicle, which describes a “causate star on the East, terrible in appearance, emitting large rays from itself—that is why this star is called hairy.” Chinese observations match those of European historians.
According to NASA, the comet was first reported on July 17, 1264. It reached perihelion on July 20 and perigee on July 29.
Some astronomers, notably Alexandre Guy Pingré in his 1783 *Cométographie*, speculated that the Great Comet of 1264 and the Great Comet of 1556 were the same object. Pingré calculated a parabolic orbit for the 1264 comet and found it closely resembled that of 1556. He concluded they were likely identical, with a period of about 292 years, and predicted a return around 1848. John Russell Hind, in *On the expected return of the great comet of 1264 and 1556*, supported this, stating his calculations pointed to a high probability of identity. However, by 1877 Amédée Guillemin noted that the comet had failed to appear in 1848, 1849, 1850, 1851, or 1852, despite splendid comets in 1858, 1861, and 1862. He considered the comet of 1264 and 1556 lost, though he allowed that if it reappeared, it would be in the 22nd century.
Quick Facts
- Discovery Date
- 17 July 1264
- Orbit Ref
- jpl
- Epoch
- 20 July 1264 (JD 2182934.79)
- Observation Arc
- 70 days
- Obs
- 7
- Perihelion
- 0.8249 AU
- Eccentricity
- ~1.000
- Inclination
- 16.40°
- Asc Node
- 151.04°
- Arg Peri
- 159.71°
- Magnitude
- 0.0 / (1264 apparition)
- Last P
- 20 July 1264
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The comet was first seen in the evenings after sunset, but appeared in greatest splendor in the weeks afterward, when it became visible in the mornings in the northeastern sky. Its tail was perceived long before the comet itself rose above the horizon. The head seemed like an obscure, ill-defined star, and the tail stretched forth like expanded flames to a distance of one hundred degrees from the nucleus. Its splendor was greatest at the end of August and the beginning of September.
Chroniclers connected the comet with the death of Pope Urban IV, who fell sick allegedly on the very day the comet was first seen and died at the exact time it disappeared on October 3, 1264. It was said that the 'prodigy of a hairy star' had brought upon his illness. The comet was also mentioned in the Galician–Volhynian Chronicle, described as a 'causate star on the East, terrible in appearance, emitting large rays from itself.' Observations in China agreed with European accounts.
Some astronomers, including Alexandre Guy Pingré, speculated that the Great Comet of 1264 and the Great Comet of 1556 were the same, with a period of about 292 years. John Russell Hind found a high probability of identity. However, by 1877, Amédée Guillemin noted the comet had failed to reappear as expected in 1848, and considered it lost, possibly due to orbital derangement from an ellipse to a parabola or hyperbola.
Reader's Guide
The Great Comet of 1264 is significant for its exceptional brightness and the detailed historical records it left across Europe, China, and the Galician–Volhynian region. Its legacy includes a long-standing astronomical debate over its possible identity with the Great Comet of 1556. Alexandre Guy Pingré calculated a parabolic orbit resembling that of the 1556 comet, suggesting a period of about 292 years and predicting a return around 1848. John Russell Hind supported this identity with extensive calculations. However, the comet did not appear in 1848 or subsequent years, leading Amédée Guillemin to declare it lost, possibly due to a change from an elliptical to a parabolic or hyperbolic orbit, as explained by Newtonian mechanics. This case illustrates the challenges of predicting cometary returns and the possibility that some comets may never reappear. The comet's association with the death of Pope Urban IV also highlights how celestial events were interpreted as omens in medieval Europe.
Did You Know?
- The comet's tail was described as nearly 100 degrees in length from the nucleus.
- Pope Urban IV fell sick on the day the comet was first seen and died on October 3, 1264, when it disappeared.
- The comet was observed in both Europe and China, with consistent descriptions.
- Some astronomers believed it was the same comet as the Great Comet of 1556, with a period of about 292 years.
More in Named Comets, Part 3 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced