Abstract
Nagata's Comet.—Science News Letter, dated Aug. 1 (Science Service, Washington, D.C.), gives information about the discovery of this comet: Mr. Masani Nagata is a native of Japan engaged on fruit-growing near Brawley, California; he possesses a 3-inch telescope, and in the course of observing Neptune on the evening of July 15 (July 16.2 U.T.) he swept up a nebulous object near it; the next night it had moved a degree to the north-east; he sent the news to Mt. Wilson, where Mr. Moore confirmed the discovery. There was a tail 4° long on July 18; the magnitude of the comet was given as 7 on July 23 and 9 on July 25, but it was probably really brighter, as twilight and atmospheric absorption would weaken its light more than that of the stars.
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Astronomical Topics. Nature 128, 274 (1931). https://doi.org/10.1038/128274a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/128274a0