X/1882 K1 (Tewfik)

Lore & Background

A party of observers gathered in Upper Egypt to watch a total solar eclipse on 17 May 1882. During the 70-second eclipse, a comet was seen moving across the sky, appearing as a luminous streak of about magnitude 0.0 brightness, only half a degree from the Sun's limb. It was not immediately identified as a comet; astronomer M. Trépied noticed it in one of Dr. Arthur Schuster's photographs about an hour after the eclipse. That night, at a joint meeting of all astronomers present, they decided to name the comet after Tewfik Pasha, the Khedive of Egypt, in recognition of his hospitality.

Reader's Guide

The Eclipse Comet of 1882 is significant as a rare example of a comet discovered during a solar eclipse. Initial investigations suggested it might be C/1882 F1 (Wells), but later calculations showed that comet would not have been in the proper position and would have been fainter. Because the only observation was made during the eclipse, the comet's orbit cannot be determined with great accuracy. Nonetheless, Brian Marsden determined that Comet Tewfik is a member of the Kreutz sungrazer group. Its legacy lies in its unique discovery and its connection to the Great Comet of 1882 (C/1882 R1), another Kreutz sungrazer that appeared four months later.

Did You Know?

• It was named after Tewfik Pasha, the Khedive of Egypt, for his hospitality.
• The comet was only half a degree from the Sun's limb when observed.
• Its orbit is uncertain because the eclipse sighting was the only observation.