Until recently, it would have been possible for even a very bright member of the Kreutz sungrazers to pass through the inner Solar System unnoticed, if its perihelion had occurred between about May and August. At this time of year, as seen from Earth, the comet would approach and recede almost directly behind the Sun, and could only become visible extremely close to the Sun if it became very bright. Only a remarkable coincidence between the perihelion passage of the Eclipse Comet of 1882 and a total solar eclipse allowed its discovery.