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The Australian astronomer John Tebbutt discovered the Great Comet of 1861, through whose tail the Earth passed later that year.

Historical image related to The Australian astronomer John Tebbutt discovered the Great Comet of 1861, through whose tail the Earth passed later that year. from May 13, 1861

Related Wikipedia articles

John Tebbutt

19th and 20th-century Australian astronomer

John Tebbutt was an Australian astronomer and meteorologist, famous for discovering the Great Comets of 1861 and 1881.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)

C/1861 J1 (Tebbutt)

Great Comet of 1861

The Great Comet of 1861, formally designated C/1861 J1 and 1861 II, is a long-period comet that was visible to the naked eye for approximately 3 months. It was categorized as a great comet—one of the eight greatest comets of the 19th century.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)