What was the apparent magnitude of Comet Swift–Tuttle when it was as bright as Polaris in 1862?

Comet Swift–Tuttle was about 2nd magnitude when it was as bright as Polaris in 1862.

Astronomers use apparent magnitude to describe how bright an object appears from Earth. The magnitude scale runs backward: smaller numbers indicate brighter objects, and negative values indicate exceptionally bright sources. Polaris is commonly treated as a second-magnitude star, so the comparison places the comet at roughly that brightness during its 1862 apparition.

This historical brightness belongs to the comet itself, not to individual Perseid meteors. Meteors can be much fainter or brighter for only a fraction of a second as small particles burn up in the atmosphere.

Swift–Tuttle was independently observed by Lewis Swift and Horace Tuttle in 1862. It later returned in 1992 and is expected to approach perihelion again in 2126. Predictions for its future brightness are separate from the annual forecast of the Perseid meteor shower.