Comet Donati
Comet Donati, or Donati's Comet, formally designated C/1858 L1 and 1858 VI, is a long-period comet named after the Italian astronomer Giovanni Battista Donati who first observed it on June 2, 1858. After the Great Comet of 1811, it was the most brilliant comet that appeared in the 19th century. It was also the first comet to be photographed.
- There are three Donati comets: C/1855 L1 (a.k.a. 1855 II), C/1858 L1 (this one), and C/1864 R1 (a.k.a. 1864 I).
Donati's Comet, Oxford, 7:30 p.m., 5 Oct. 1858 by William Turner | |
| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Giovanni Battista Donati |
| Discovery date | 1858 |
| Designations | |
Alternative designations | 1858 VI |
| Orbital characteristics | |
| Observation arc | 270 days |
| Number of observations | 1000 |
| Aphelion | ~289 AU |
| Perihelion | 0.578 AU |
| Semi-major axis | ~145 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.996 |
| Orbital period | ~1,739 yr (outbound) |
| Inclination | 116.9° |
| Last perihelion | September 30, 1858 |
| Next perihelion | ≈3600 |
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