Discovery of the comet of five years and a half period by Brorsen in 1846–Its supposed identity with the comet of 1532 gives reason to suspect elliptic elements; calculation of these elements–Returns of the comet in 1851, 1868, and 1873

In the order of their discovery we proceed to pass in review the periodical comets of the solar system–those at least whose return has been confirmed by observation, and which have justified the predictions of calculation

This brings us to a comet which likewise bears the name of the astronomer who discovered it, at Kiel, on February 26, 1846, viz. to Brorsen's comet, whose period is intermediate to those of Encke and Faye. It performs its revolution round the sun in five years and a half, or, more exactly, in five years 176 days, or 2,002 days

As soon as the parabolic elements of the new comet were calculated, two astronomers, Goujon and Petersen, suspected its identity with a comet observed in 1532, and were thus led to the calculation of an elliptic orbit; this orbit was actually determined by Goujon, by Brünnow, and later by Bruhns. The return was predicted for 1851, and the perihelion passage for November 10 of that year.