1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:02,000 Speaker 1: The Stay in History Class. It's a production of I 2 00:00:02,080 --> 00:00:08,640 Speaker 1: Heart Radio. Hello everyone, I'm Eves and welcome to this 3 00:00:08,640 --> 00:00:11,879 Speaker 1: Stand History Class, a podcast that brings you a slice 4 00:00:11,880 --> 00:00:22,840 Speaker 1: of history every day. Today It's made the day was 5 00:00:22,880 --> 00:00:28,280 Speaker 1: Made thirteen. Eighteen sixty one, Australian amateur astronomer John Tibbott 6 00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:32,760 Speaker 1: observed the Great Comment of eighteen sixty one. The comment 7 00:00:32,840 --> 00:00:35,200 Speaker 1: was visible to the naked eye for about three months, 8 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:39,040 Speaker 1: and it was visible through telescopes until eighteen sixty two. 9 00:00:40,240 --> 00:00:43,040 Speaker 1: John Tebbott was born in Windsor, New South Wales, and 10 00:00:43,120 --> 00:00:46,159 Speaker 1: his father was a farmer. He developed an interest in 11 00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:50,280 Speaker 1: astronomy early on, thanks to conversations with his tutor at work, Waife, 12 00:00:50,640 --> 00:00:53,920 Speaker 1: and articles that he read by astronomer John Russell Hind. 13 00:00:55,120 --> 00:00:58,440 Speaker 1: In eighteen fifty three, Tebbot bought a marine sextant. He 14 00:00:58,560 --> 00:01:00,960 Speaker 1: also had a clock with the second pendulum that he 15 00:01:01,040 --> 00:01:05,399 Speaker 1: regulated by making celestial observations, and he had a small telescope. 16 00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:09,320 Speaker 1: Over the next few years he acquired more instruments. His 17 00:01:09,440 --> 00:01:12,959 Speaker 1: first astronomical publication was in the Sydney Morning Herald in 18 00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:17,920 Speaker 1: eighteen fifty four. When commets appeared, Tebbitt would calculate their orbit. 19 00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:21,279 Speaker 1: A commet isn't icy body in space that releases gas 20 00:01:21,319 --> 00:01:24,479 Speaker 1: as it passes near the Sun. In eighteen fifty eight, 21 00:01:24,600 --> 00:01:28,959 Speaker 1: he observed Donatis comment in the Australian sky. Tebbitt also 22 00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:33,839 Speaker 1: observed phenomena like meteors, planets and variable stars between eighteen 23 00:01:33,840 --> 00:01:37,080 Speaker 1: fifty four. In eighteen sixty two, he published thirty four 24 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:41,440 Speaker 1: pieces in the Herald. In eighteen sixty the government astronomer 25 00:01:41,520 --> 00:01:45,479 Speaker 1: William Scott invited Tebbit to work at the Sydney Observatory, 26 00:01:45,480 --> 00:01:50,360 Speaker 1: but Tebbitt turned down the request. On eighteen sixty one, 27 00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:54,600 Speaker 1: Tebbitt was searching the skies for comets through his marine telescope. 28 00:01:54,720 --> 00:01:57,200 Speaker 1: He saw a nebulous object near a star and the 29 00:01:57,240 --> 00:02:02,800 Speaker 1: constellation Arittiness. He decided to keep observing the object. Tubbot 30 00:02:02,800 --> 00:02:05,320 Speaker 1: sent a letter to the Sydney Morning Herald announcing his 31 00:02:05,400 --> 00:02:08,280 Speaker 1: discovery of the Great Comment of eighteen sixty one, and 32 00:02:08,400 --> 00:02:12,640 Speaker 1: it was published in the paper on May seventh birthday. 33 00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:16,440 Speaker 1: In it, he said the following, While engaged in examining 34 00:02:16,440 --> 00:02:19,720 Speaker 1: the heavens with a small telescope on the evening of Monday, 35 00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:23,600 Speaker 1: the thirteenth instant, a nebulous star of about the fifth magnitude, 36 00:02:23,639 --> 00:02:27,799 Speaker 1: and the constellation arittiness attracted my attention. It was then 37 00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:30,920 Speaker 1: distant a few minutes of a degree from thirteen sixteen 38 00:02:31,080 --> 00:02:35,600 Speaker 1: of Leciah's catalog, a star of the sixth magnitude. Finding 39 00:02:35,720 --> 00:02:37,840 Speaker 1: there was no nebulous star in the catalog in the 40 00:02:37,880 --> 00:02:41,760 Speaker 1: same position, I immediately conjectured it must be a comet. 41 00:02:43,080 --> 00:02:45,239 Speaker 1: He went on to say that he realized the commet 42 00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:48,200 Speaker 1: had moved half a degree, and that he had told 43 00:02:48,320 --> 00:02:53,280 Speaker 1: William Scott about his observation. The announcement incited a considerable 44 00:02:53,320 --> 00:02:59,080 Speaker 1: amount of public excitement and responses. Tubbett continued making observations 45 00:02:59,120 --> 00:03:01,960 Speaker 1: on the comment for we The comment became visible in 46 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:05,320 Speaker 1: the northern hemisphere in late June, Earth passed through the 47 00:03:05,360 --> 00:03:09,320 Speaker 1: commets tale, causing meteor showers. It remained visible to the 48 00:03:09,360 --> 00:03:12,200 Speaker 1: eye for around three months, but it stayed visible through 49 00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:16,200 Speaker 1: a telescope for several more months. The comment is formally 50 00:03:16,240 --> 00:03:19,959 Speaker 1: designated CE eighteen sixty one J one in eighteen sixty 51 00:03:20,040 --> 00:03:24,280 Speaker 1: one to The term great commet isn't an official designation, 52 00:03:24,680 --> 00:03:27,800 Speaker 1: but it typically describes a commet that is extremely bright. 53 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:31,000 Speaker 1: As most comments are not visible to the naked eye, 54 00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:34,000 Speaker 1: and even When they are, they're often fuzzy and faint. 55 00:03:35,080 --> 00:03:38,320 Speaker 1: Tibbitt built his own small observatory and continue to publish 56 00:03:38,320 --> 00:03:42,000 Speaker 1: his observations. The Great Commet is expected to return in 57 00:03:42,040 --> 00:03:46,560 Speaker 1: the twenty third century. I'm each Jeffcote and hopefully you 58 00:03:46,600 --> 00:03:49,760 Speaker 1: know a little more about history today than you did yesterday. 59 00:03:50,200 --> 00:03:52,920 Speaker 1: And if you have any suggestions for shows, feel free 60 00:03:52,960 --> 00:03:55,320 Speaker 1: to send them to us in social media. We're at 61 00:03:55,640 --> 00:03:58,720 Speaker 1: t d I h C Podcast. You can also send 62 00:03:58,800 --> 00:04:01,200 Speaker 1: us a note via email this day at I heeart 63 00:04:01,280 --> 00:04:04,080 Speaker 1: media dot com. Thanks again for listening to the show 64 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:13,680 Speaker 1: and we'll see you tomorrow. For more podcasts from I 65 00:04:13,720 --> 00:04:16,520 Speaker 1: Heart Radio, visit the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or 66 00:04:16,560 --> 00:04:18,159 Speaker 1: wherever you listen to your favorite shows.