C/1948 V1
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| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovery date: | November 1, 1948 |
| Alternate designations: | Eclipse Comet, 1948 XI, 1948 V1 |
| Orbital characteristics A | |
| Epoch: | 2432840.5 |
| Aphelion distance: | 4167 AU |
| Perihelion distance: | 0.135 AU |
| Semi-major axis: | 2083 AU |
| Eccentricity: | 0.99994 |
| Orbital period: | 95097 a |
| Inclination: | 23.1° |
| Last perihelion: | October 27, 1948 |
| Next perihelion: | 97045 |
The Eclipse Comet of 1948, formally known as C/1948 V1, was an especially bright comet discovered during a solar eclipse on November 1, 1948. Although there have been several comets that have been seen during solar eclipses, the Eclipse Comet of 1948 is arguably the best-known; it was however, best viewed only from the Southern Hemisphere.
When it was first discovered during totality, it was already quite bright, at magnitude -2; as it was near perihelion, this was its peak brightness.[1] Its visibility during morning twilight improved as it receded outward from the Sun; it peaked near zero magnitude, and at one point displayed a tail roughly 30 degrees in length, before falling below naked eye visibility by the end of December.[1]
[edit] References
- ^ a b Dr. Sten Odenwald. When was the last time we had two bright comets in the same year?. Ask the Astronomer. Retrieved on 2006-02-13.
[edit] External links
- Orbital simulation from JPL (Java) / Ephemeris
