10mo 1, 1847. {October 1, 1847} This evening at half past ten Maria discovered a telescopic comet five degrees above Polaris. Persuaded that no nebulae could occupy that position unnoticed it scarcely needed the evidence of motion to give it the character of a comet.
From the journals of William Mitchell, father of Maria.
One hundred and seventy-one years later to the day! In the year of her 200th birthday.
JNLF