Event #722: A comet of extraordinary magnitude

Text #7862

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Philostorgius says that in this day there was so severe a pestilence as had never occurred before within the memory of man, in accordance with the portent of the star which appeared in the form of a sword. For not only was the military force destroyed, as in former wars, nor was it only in one part of the world that signal calamities occurred; but men of every rank and degree perished, and the whole of Europe and a very large part of Asia was entirely ravaged. A considerable portion of Africa also, and especially that part which was subject to the Romans, felt the blow. For the sword of the barbarians carried off large multitudes, and pestilence and famine pressed upon them at the same time together with large herds of wild beasts. In addition to this, there were very grievous earthquakes, which overturned houses and entire cities from their foundations, and hurled them into inevitable ruin. Moreover, in certain parts the earth opened and gaped, swallowing up the inhabitants suddenly as in a tomb. There were also im [sic] certain parts deluges of rain from heaven; in other parts fierce droughts and fiery whirlwinds, descending from above, to complete the manifold calamity till it was past endurance. Hail too fell in many places, bigger than a stone which would fill the hand, nay, it was found in some parts of such a size that it weighed no less than eight pounds. Moreover there was a great downfal [sic] of snow accompanied by a very severe frost, which seized upon those who had not been carried off by the other calamities, and deprived them of life, most clearly revealing the anger of God. But to mention the details of these visitations is a task which surpasses human ability.

Text #7865

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Gaïnas, however, regardless of his oaths, attacked the city. His enterprise was pre-announced by the appearance of a comet directly over the city; this comet was of extraordinary magnitude, larger, it is said, than any that had previously been seen, and reaching almost to the earth itself.

Text #7282

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Moreover so great was the danger of the city that a comet of prodigious magnitude, reaching from heaven even to the earth, such as was never before seen, gave forewarning of it.¹ Gaïnas first most shamelessly attempted to make a seizure of the silver publicly exposed for sale in the shops: but when the proprietors, advised beforehand by report of his intention, abstained from exposing it on their counters, his thoughts were diverted to another object, which was to send an immense body of barbarians at night for the purpose of burning down the palace. Then indeed it appeared distinctly that God had providential care over the city: for a multitude of angels appeared to the rebels, in the form of armed men of gigantic stature, before whom the barbarians, imagining them to be a large army of brave troops, turned away with terror and departed.

1. Cf. Vergil, Georg. I. 488, ‘Nec diri toties arsere cometæ’; and Am. X. 272–274. [OF] ↩

Text #7847

Discovered: 400 March 18.9 (Δ=0.30 AU, r=0.73 AU, Elong.=23°)
Last seen: 400 April
Closest to the Earth: 400 March 31 (0.0733 AU)
Calculated path: AND (Disc), CAS (Mar. 26), CEP (Mar. 28), UMi-CAM (Mar. 30), UMi-DRA-UMa (Mar. 31), CVn (Apr. 1), COM (Apr. 3), VIR (Apr. 5)

The astronomical chapters of the Chinese text Chin shu (635) date the appearance of this “sparkling star” as 400 March 19. The object measured about 30° long and “appeared at Khuei [β, δ, ε, ζ, η, μ, ν, and π Andromedae, and σ, τ, υ, φ, χ, ψ, and 65 Piscium].” The text adds, “Its upper portion reached Ko-Tao [ε, θ, ι, φ, and χ Cassiopeiae] and the western wall of the Tzu-Wei Enclosure [Draco, Ursa Minor, Cepheus, and Camelopardalis].” The date and location indicate a morning observation, implying a UT of March 18.9.

Although not as detailed, the Korean text Chronicle of Paekche, a part of the Samguk Sagi (1145), notes a “sparkling star” was discovered in spring, sometime during the month of March 12 to April 9. The object was seen among Khuei and Lou [α, β, and γ Arietis].

The Chin shu continues by noting the comet “entered the box of Pei-Tou [the Big Dipper] and went as far as San-Thai [ι, κ, λ, μ, ν, and ξ Ursae Majoris].” Although the orbit below indicates the comet was very close to Pei-Tou on March 31, it did not enter the “box”.

Finally, the Chin shu states that during the month of April 10 to May 9 “it passed Wu-Ti [β, 85, 95, SAO 99812m and SAO 99827 Leonis] and Tuan-Mên [space between β and η Virginis].” The orbit indicates the comet would have passed Wu-Ti at the beginning of the lunar month [April 10], while it would have passed Tuan-Mên around April 13.

The Chinese text Wéi shu (572) gives essentially the same information as the Chin shu, but notes the comet was first seen in the third month instead of the second.

Several European accounts are available which describe a great comet seen in 400. The Roman historian Philostorgius wrote Ecclesiasticae Historiae (425) and said a “sword-shaped star” predicted a disaster. The Byzantine church historian Socrates Scholasticus wrote Ecclesiasticae Historiae (450) and said a “very large comet [was seen] stretching from the sky to the ground, such as no-one had seen…” The Roman lawyer and historian Hermias Sozomen wrote Ecclesiasticae Historiae around 443. At one point he is discussing the attack of Constantinople by Gainas in 400 and says, “His enterprise was pre-announced by the appearance of a comet directly over the city: this comet was of extraordinary magnitude, larger, indeed, than any that had previously been seen.”

I. Hasegawa (1979) computed the parabolic orbit below. The orbit indicates the comet was within 20° of the sun from near the end of 399 December until 400 March 15, and reached a minimum solar elongation of 6° on February 17. The comet then reached its most northerly declination of +89° (apparent) on March 30, and a maximum solar elongation of 142° on April 10.

T	ω	Ω(2000.0)	i	q	e
400 Feb. 25 (UT)	47	38	32	0.21	1.0

Absolute Magnitude: H10=6.0 (Kronk)
Full Moon: March 26, April 24
Sources: Ecclesiasticae Historiae (425), book 11, ch. 7; Ecclesiasticae Historiae (443), book 8, ch. 4; Ecclesiasticae Historiae (450), book 8, ch. 4; Wéi shu (572), p. 161; Chin shu (635), p. 243; Samguk Sagi (1145), p. 161; A.G. Pingré (1783), pp. 306-7; J. Williams (1871), p. 30; Ho Peng Yoke (1962), p. 161; A.A. Barrett (1978), pp. 105-6; I. Hasegawa (1979), pp. 260-1.

Text #7846

400 March 19; (P = February 25, d = 0.08 AU on March 31) China, Korea, Rome.

A bushy star comet measuring 45 degrees appeared in the region between Andromeda and Pisces. Its upper portion reached Cassiopeia. It entered Ursa Major and between April 10 and May 9 it entered Leo. Roman historians noted a very large comet stretching from the sky to the ground.

Ho (183), Barrett (61), P306

Text #889

AD 400 Mar 12-Apr 9 [Korea]

9th year of King Asin of Baekje, spring, 2nd month; there was a fuzzy star in Kui [LM 15] and Lou [LM 16].

[Jeungbo munheon bigo] ch. 6 [Samguk sagi] ch. 25

AD 400 Mar 19 [China] (Ho 183)

(a) 4th year of the Long’an reign period of Emperor An of the Jin Dynasty, 2nd month, day jichou [26]; a star 3 zhang long became fuzzy in Kui [LM 15]. It ascended as far as Gedao and the western enclosure of Zigong, entered the bowl of Dou, and reached Santai, Taiwei, Dizuo, and Duanmen.

[Song shu: tianwen zhi] ch. 25

(b) 4th year of the Long’an reign period of Emperor An of the Jin Dynasty, 2nd month, day jichou [26]; a star became fuzzy in Kui [LM 15] and Lou [LM 16], advancing as far as Ziwei.

[Jin shu: An di ji] ch. 10

(c) 4th year of the Long’an reign period of Emperor An of the Jin Dynasty, 2nd month, day jichou [26]; a star 3 zhang long became fuzzy in Kui [LM 15]. It ascended as far as Gedao and the western enclosure of Zigong, entered the bowl of Beidou, and reached Santai. In the 3rd month, it passed by Taiwei, Dizuo, and Duanmen.

[Jin shu: tianwen zhi] ch. 13

AD 400 Apr 10-May 9 [China] (Ho 183)

3rd year of the Tianxing reign period of Emperor Taizu of the Northern Wei Dynasty, 3rd month; a star became fuzzy in Kui [LM 15] then passed by Gedao, reaching the western enclosure of Ziwei. It entered the bowl of Beidou, trespassed on Taiyangshou, rounded Xiatai, overran Nangong, stepped on Dizuo, and then emerged via Duanmen.

[Wei shu: tianxiang zhi] ch. 105

AD 400 Apr 10-May 9 [China] (Ho 183)

4th year of the Long’an reign period of Emperor An of the Jin Dynasty, 3rd month; a broom star appeared in Taiwei.

[Jin shu: An di ji] ch. 10