The Comet Seen in Daylight in 1843
In 1843, a comet appeared so bright that people could see it at midday, right beside the Sun. Some believed it meant the world was about to end.
What was reported
In late February 1843, a brilliant comet suddenly appeared close to the Sun, so bright that people saw it in broad daylight. Over the following weeks, it grew a tail longer than any recorded before, stretching across a huge part of the evening sky.
In the United States, the comet came at a time when followers of the preacher William Miller were expecting the Second Coming of Christ in 1843 or 1844, and many saw the comet as a sign.
Explanations offered
The Great March Comet was a 'sungrazer', a comet that passes extremely close to the Sun's surface, which made it shine so brightly. It belongs to a family of such comets that probably came from a single giant comet that broke up long ago. The predicted end of the world didn't come, and Miller's followers called it the Great Disappointment.
- When
- February–April 1843
- Where
- Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Witnesses
- People across the world
- Status
- Explained
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.
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