Great Comet of 1882

C/1882 R1
(Great Comet of 1882)
	Photograph of the comet as seen from Cape Town by David Gill on 7 November 1882
Discovery
Discovery date	1 September 1882
Designations
Alternative designations	1882 II, 1882b
Orbital characteristics
Epoch	21 September 1882 (JD 2408709.5)
Observation arc	110–153 days
Number of; observations	4–10
Orbit type	Kreutz sungrazer
Aphelion	153.46 AU (A); 166.71 AU (B); 182.37 AU (C); 193.72 AU (D);
Perihelion	0.0077 AU
Semi-major axis	76.73 AU (A); 83.36 AU (B); 91.19 AU (C); 96.86 AU (D);
Eccentricity	0.99989 (A); 0.99991 (B); 0.99992 (C–D);
Orbital period	≈670–950 years
Inclination	142°
Longitude of; ascending node	347.65°
Argument of; periapsis	69.58°
Last perihelion	17 September 1882
Next perihelion	2487–2719
TJupiter	–0.018 (A); –0.024 (B); –0.029 (C); –0.032 (D);
Earth MOID	0.5164 AU
Jupiter MOID	2.9096 AU
Physical characteristics
Mean radius	30.7 km (19.1 mi); (pre-perihelion)
Mass	4.20×1019 kg
Comet total; magnitude (M1)	0.8
Apparent magnitude	–17.0; (1882 apparition)

The Great Comet of 1882, formally designated as C/1882 R1, 1882 II, and 1882b, was a comet which became very bright in September 1882. It was a member of the Kreutz Sungrazers, a family of comets which pass within 1 R_☉ of the Sun's photosphere at perihelion.

The comet was bright enough to be visible next to the Sun in the daytime sky at its perihelion. The comet made its closest approach to Earth on 16 September 1882 at 0.99 AU and then came to perihelion (closest approach to the Sun) the next day on 17 September. Reaching a peak magnitude of –17, some sources claim that C/1882 R1 is the brightest comet ever recorded in history.