▁After ▁that ▁it ▁f aded ▁rapidly , ▁and ▁by ▁ 1 ▁June ▁it ▁had ▁already ▁f aded ▁to ▁below ▁n aked - ey e ▁visibility . ▁The ▁last ▁definite ▁detection ▁of ▁the ▁com et ▁was ▁made ▁on ▁June ▁ 7 , ▁when ▁it ▁appeared ▁as ▁a ▁faint , ▁ill - defined ▁ne bul os ity . ▁In cre asing ▁moon light ▁and ▁the ▁com et ' s ▁decre asing ▁bright ness ▁prevent ed ▁any ▁further ▁visual ▁sight ings ▁of ▁the ▁com et . ▁ ▁A ▁s ung ra zer ▁ ▁The ▁com et ' s ▁sudden ▁appearance ▁very ▁close ▁to ▁the ▁Sun ▁and ▁rapid ▁subsequent ▁decl ine ▁in ▁bright ness ▁both ▁pointed ▁to ▁it ▁being ▁a ▁s ung raz ing ▁com et , ▁and ▁calculations ▁of ▁its ▁orbit ▁by ▁Brian ▁G . ▁Mars den ▁back ed ▁this ▁suggestion . ▁Mars den ▁showed ▁that ▁the ▁com et ▁had ▁reached ▁peri hel ion ▁on ▁May ▁ 1 4 , ▁at ▁a ▁distance ▁of ▁just ▁ 1 . 3 5 ▁million ▁km , ▁or ▁ 2 ▁solar ▁rad ii . ▁ ▁The ▁calculated ▁orbit ▁p inned ▁down ▁White - O rt iz - B ole l li ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Kre utz ▁S ung raz ers , ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁com ets ▁which ▁all ▁origin ate ▁from ▁the ▁fragment ation ▁of ▁one ▁giant ▁parent ▁com et ▁several ▁hundred ▁years ▁ago , ▁and ▁which ▁has ▁provided ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁bright est ▁com ets ▁ever ▁seen . ▁Kre utz ▁S ung raz ers ▁all ▁travel ▁on