 The comet on 24 July 2023 | |
| Discovery[1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | ATLAS |
| Discovery date | 1 March 2023 |
| Orbital characteristics[2] | |
| Epoch | 25 May 2023 |
| Observation arc | 214 days |
| Earliestprecovery date | 25 December 2022 |
| Aphelion | 37.660 AU |
| Perihelion | 1.027 AU |
| Semi-major axis | 19.343 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.947 |
| Orbital period | 85.07 years |
| Inclination | 38.313° |
| 164.57° | |
| Argument of periapsis | 105.89° |
| Last perihelion | 1 July 2023 |
| EarthMOID | 0.365 AU |
| Comet total magnitude (M1) | 16.1 |
| Comet nuclear magnitude (M2) | 18.3 |
C/2023 E1 (ATLAS) is aperiodiccomet with anorbital period of 85 years. It fits the classical definition of aHalley-type comet with anorbital period of between 20 and 200 years. The comet was discovered on 1 March 2023 byATLAS South Africa. Upon discovery, the comet had anapparent magnitude of about 19 and had a very condensedcoma. The comet was subsequently found in images obtained by other observatories back on 25 December 2022.[1][3]
The comet brightened in late June to a magnitude of +10, and became visible in small telescopes and binoculars. At that time, it was located high in the northern skies, in the constellation ofUrsa Minor. It passed its perihelion on 1 July and reached an apparent magnitude between 8 and 9.[4][5] The comet had a greenish coma and a faint narrow ion tail.[6] On July 8 it passed 9 degrees from thenorth celestial pole. The closest approach to Earth was on 18 August, at a distance of 0.375 AU.[7]
The comet seems to be in a 2:1orbital resonance withNeptune, with the comet completing two orbits for every orbit Neptune does.[7]
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