had traveled more than 100 AU from the Sun, making it even farther away than dwarf planet Eris. It will come to aphelion around 2063. Tebbutt's account In his Astronomical Memoirs, Tebbutt gave an account of his discovery: Observations in writing June 30, 1861 Raphael Semmes, commander of the CSS Sumter wrote of the June 30 escape of his vessel from New Orleans: Samuel Elliott Hoskins, a doctor from Guernsey, observed: July 1, 1861 Granville Stuart noted the observation of this comet in a journal entry on July 1, 1861, while living in western Montana: Sarah R. Espy, of Alabama, in her private journal: Emily Holder, wife of Joseph Bassett Holder, while stationed at Fort Jefferson, Florida: Martin Bienvenu, an officer on a ship at Bangkok, in his unpublished journal: July 2, 1861 Raphael Semmes, commander of the CSS Sumter: R.W. Haig, the Chief Astronomer of the 49th Parallel Boundary Commission in British Columbia, wrote in a letter home Charles Wilson, surveyor on the Boundary Commission with Haig, wrote July 5, 1861 James Riley Robinson, on the schooner Conchita, in the Mexican harbor of Agiabampo. July 7, 1861 S. Watson, a tea inspector for the British firm Bull & Purdon writes from Hong Kong References External links C/1861 J1 (Great Comet of 1861) on Cometography.com The Comet of 1861, Gallery of Natural Phenomena JPL DASTCOM Comet Orbital Elements Orbital simulation from JPL (Java) / Ephemeris Non-periodic comets 18610531 Great comets