While leading scientists at the time made precise observations, others discussed at a colloquium whether these comets were divine signs because of the war that had just broken out across Europe, or purely natural phenomena.

[1] Two Chinese texts reported the sighting of the comet on the morning of November 26, with its tail measuring 10° long across the sky, pointed to the southeast.

In England, the astronomer John Bainbridge observed it from November 28th to December 26th and drew maps showing the comet's position in the sky.

[12][13][14] As was common at the time, this comet was also seen in a flood of writings as an ominous harbinger of various misfortunes and as a warning and "rod of wrath" sent by God.

[15] One Thuringian chronicle stated:[16] On November 3, 1618, a terrible comet appeared in the sky, which was visible for the next month and even into the following year; for after it war, rebellion, bloodshed, pestilence , famine and unspeakable misfortune followed all over the world.

[21] Due to the uncertainty of the initial orbital data, it is not known whether the comet could return to the inner Solar System sometime in the future or it was ejected towards interstellar space.

The English king was concerned about the political implications of this speculation and wrote a poem alluding to the people's credulity:[6][22] You men of Britaine, wherefore gaze yee so Uppon an Angry starr, whenh as yee know The sun shall turne to darknesse, the Moon to blood And then twill be to late for to turne good O be so happy then while time doth last As to remember Dooms day is not past And misinterpret not, with vaine Conceit The Caracter you see on Heaven gate.

Which though it bring the world some news from fate The letters such as no man can translate And for to guesse at God Almightys minde Where such a thing might Cozen all mankinde Wherfore I wish the Curious man to keep His rash Imaginations till he sleepe Then let him dreame of Famine plague & war And thinke the match with spaine hath causd this star Or let them thinke that if their Prince my Minion Will shortly chang, or which is worse religion And that he may have nothing elce to feare Let him walke Pauls, and meet the Devills there And if he be a Puritan, and scapes Jesuites, salute them in their proper shapes These Jealousys I would not have a Treason In him whose Fancy overrules his Reason Yet to be sure It did no harme, Twere fit He would be bold to pray for no more witt But onely to Conceale his dreame, for there Be those that will beleive what he dares feare