 TheEclipse Comet of 1948 photographed by W. C. Braun from theMcDonald Observatory on November 14, 1948 | |
| Discovery[1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovery date | 1 November 1948 |
| Designations | |
| 1948 XI, 1948l[2] | |
| Orbital characteristics[3][4] | |
| Epoch | 10 January 1949 (JD 2432926.5) |
| Observation arc | 137 days |
| Number of observations | 17 |
| Aphelion | 3,149.44 AU |
| Perihelion | 0.1354 AU |
| Semi-major axis | 1,574.79 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.9999 |
| Orbital period | 62,494.39 years |
| Inclination | 23.116° |
| 211.043° | |
| Argument of periapsis | 107.249° |
| Last perihelion | 27 October 1948 |
| TJupiter | 0.423 |
| EarthMOID | 0.1883 AU |
| JupiterMOID | 1.8182 AU |
| Physical characteristics[5][7] | |
Mean radius | 1.531 km (0.951 mi)[a] |
| Comet total magnitude (M1) | 5.5 |
| Comet nuclear magnitude (M2) | 9.0 |
| –1.0 (1948 apparition)[6] | |
TheEclipse Comet of 1948, formally known asC/1948 V1, was an especially brightcomet discovered during asolar eclipse on November 1, 1948. Although there have been several comets that have been seen during solar eclipses, the Eclipse Comet of 1948 is perhaps the best-known; it was however, best viewed only from theSouthern Hemisphere.
When it was first discovered during totality, it was already quite bright, at magnitude –1.0; as it was nearperihelion, this was its peak brightness.[8] Its visibility during morningtwilight improved as it receded outward from theSun; it peaked near zero magnitude, and at one point displayed a tail roughly 30degrees in length, before falling belownaked eye visibility by the end of December.[8]
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