The Wasp — 1879 — page 154: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is the cover/title page of a satirical magazine, not a political cartoon. The dramatic engraving depicts astronomers observing a comet through telescopes positioned on what appears to be a San Francisco rooftop or observatory. The caption reads "HOW THAT THE COME(T) DOES GO—IT," suggesting wordplay on a comet's appearance or trajectory. The image likely satirizes public fascination with a recent astronomical event visible from San Francisco in 1879. The illustration emphasizes the contemporary excitement around comet observation, a popular public spectacle of that era. Without additional context, the specific satirical target remains unclear, though it appears to mock either the observers' behavior or public astronomical enthusiasm itself.