The comet was discovered by
Gottfried Kirch, a German astronomer, on 14 November 1680 (
New Style), in
Coburg, and it became one of the brightest comets of the seventeenth century – reputedly visible even in daytime – and was noted for its spectacularly long tail. Passing 0.42
au from
Earth on 30 November 1680, It was last observed on 19 March 1681. While the Kirch Comet of 1680–1681 was discovered by – and subsequently named for – Gottfried Kirch, credit must also be given to
Eusebio Kino, the Spanish Jesuit priest who charted the comet's course. During his delayed departure for Mexico, Kino began his observations of the comet in
Cádiz in late 1680. Upon his arrival in Mexico City, he published his
Exposición astronómica de el cometa (Astronomical Account of the Comet; Mexico City, 1681) in which he presented his findings. Kino's
Exposición astronómica is among the earliest scientific treatises published by a European in the New World.
Basil Ringrose was serving under
buccaneer Captain
Bartholomew Sharpe and made the following observation shortly before raiding the Spanish port city of
Coquimbo, Chile: Friday, November 19th, 1680. This morning about an hour before the day we observed a comet to appear a degree N. from the bright in
Libra. The body thereof seemed dull, and its tail extended itself 18 or 20 degrees in length, being of a pale colour and pointing directly N.N.W. Our prisoners hereupon reported to us that the Spaniards had seen very strange sights, both at Lima, the capital city of Peru, Guayaquil, and other places, much about the time of our coming into the South Seas. Although it was undeniably a
sungrazing comet, it was probably not part of the
Kreutz family.
Isaac Newton used the comet to test and verify
Kepler's laws.
John Flamsteed was the first to propose that the two bright comets of 1680–1681 were the same comet, one traveling inbound to the Sun and the other outbound, and Newton originally disputed this. Newton later changed his mind, and then, with
Edmond Halley's help,
purloined some of Flamsteed's data to verify this was the case without giving Flamsteed credit. ==Gallery==