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C/1948 V1

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This article is about the "Eclipse Comet of 1948". For the "Eclipse Comet of 1882", see X/1882 K1 (Tewfik).
C/1948 V1
(Eclipse Comet of 1948)
The Eclipse Comet of 1948 photographed by W. C. Braun from the McDonald Observatory on November 14, 1948
Discovery[1]
Discovery date1 November 1948
Designations
1948 XI, 1948l[2]
Orbital characteristics[3][4]
Epoch10 January 1949 (JD 2432926.5)
Observation arc137 days
Number of
observations		17
Aphelion3,149.44 AU
Perihelion0.1354 AU
Semi-major axis1,574.79 AU
Eccentricity0.9999
Orbital period62,494.39 years
Inclination23.116°
211.043°
Argument of
periapsis		107.249°
Last perihelion27 October 1948
TJupiter0.423
Earth MOID0.1883 AU
Jupiter MOID1.8182 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]

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 perhaps 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 –1.0; as it was near perihelion, this was its peak brightness.[8] 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.[8]

References

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Notes

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  1. ^ Calculated mean radius using the formula: [5]
    Where is the comet's absolute total magnitude (M1)

Citations

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  1. ^ J. M. Vinter Hansen, ed. (9 November 1948). "Bright New Comet (1948l)". IAU Circular. 1186 (4).
  2. ^ "Comet Names and Designations". International Comet Quarterly. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
  3. ^ Horizons output. "Barycentric Osculating Orbital Elements for Comet C/1948 V1 (Eclipse Comet)". ssd.jpl.nasa.gov. Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 3 February 2011. (Solution using the Solar System Barycenter and barycentric coordinates. Select Ephemeris Type:Elements and Center:@0)
  4. ^ "C/1948 V1 (Eclipse Comet) – JPL Small-Body Database Lookup". ssd.jpl.nasa.gov. Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
  5. ^ a b J. A. Fernández; A. Sosa (2012). "Magnitude and size distribution of long-period comets in Earth-crossing or approaching orbits". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 423 (2): 1674–1690. arXiv:1204.2285. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2012.20989.x.
  6. ^ "Comet C/1948 V1 (Eclipse Comet)". Comet Observation Database System (COBS). Retrieved 9 November 2024.
  7. ^ J. E. Bortle (1998). "The Bright Comet Chronicles". International Comet Quarterly. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
  8. ^ a b S. Odenwald. "When was the last time we had two bright comets in the same year?". Ask the Astronomer. Archived from the original on 15 February 2006. Retrieved 13 February 2006.
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