The great comet of 1853 was discovered by M. Klinkerfues at Göttingen on the 10th of June, at which time it was a somewhat faint telescopic object. About the 7th of August it began to be faintly visible to the naked eye; on the 20th it was equal to a star of the third or fourth magnitude; on the 25th it was equal to a star of the second magnitude; on the 30th it was as bright as one of the brightest stars of the first magnitude. From the 30th of August to the 4th of September, although the comet was distant but a few degrees from the sun's place, it was seen and well observed each day in full daylight by M. Schmidt of Olmütz. On the 31st of August he made a series of observations of the comet's place with his telescope about mid-day, although the comet was only twelve degrees from the sun; and on the 2d, 3d and 4th of September, he observed it at mid-day, although only seven or eight degrees from the sun. Also on the 3d of September, about noon, Mr. Hartnup, of the Liverpool observatory, saw the comet distinctly with his telescope.

For a month after the discovery of this comet, it exhibited an oval form, its greatest diameter being about three minutes. After this date it became more elongated, and by the first of August had attained a length of ten or fifteen minutes. On the 20th of August it exhibited a tail about one degree in length; and during the next ten days the tail rapidly increased, attaining at last a length of about fifteen degrees.