Donati's Comet of 1858. One of the most famous comets of 1858 was Donati's Comet, discovered in June of that year. The comet brightened over the following months, reaching its closest point to the Earth on 10th October 1858. Many drawings and artworks were made of this comet, one of the brightest and most spectacular of the 19th century. It was also the first comet to be photographed. The comet was named after its discoverer, the Italian astronomer Giovanni Battista Donati (1826-1873).