On Tue, 29 Nov 2011 20:21:21 +0000, ®i©ardo wrote
(in article ) :

Comets are seen as swift and spectacular - this is.... neither.

Ah, but in its day...

Seeing something that ugly moving at a greater speed than most other
things could travel at, at that time, must have been a sight to behold.

Or the name could simply describe the visual effect - a big lump trailing a
long tail.