| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Maria Mitchell |
| Discovery date | October 1847 |
| Alternative designations | Miss Mitchell's Comet |
| Orbital characteristics A | |
| Epoch | 1847-Oct-26 (JD 2395960.5) |
| Observation arc | 74 days |
| Number of observations | 77 |
| Perihelion | 0.329 au |
| Eccentricity | 1.000172[1] |
| Inclination | 108.13° |
| Last perihelion | 1847-Nov-14 |
Miss Mitchell's Comet (formally designated C/1847 T1) is a non-periodic comet that American astronomer Maria Mitchell discovered in 1847.[2]
The discovery was initially credited to Francesco de Vico. Vico, observing from Rome, was the first to report the comet's discovery in Europe. However, Mitchell observed the comet two days before Vico did, so she became recognized as the comet's discoverer.[2][3]
The comet had a weakly hyperbolic orbit solution while inside the planetary region of the Solar System.[1] An orbit solution when the comet is outside of the planetary region shows that the comet is bound to the Sun.
References
- ^ a b "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: C/1847 T1 (Mitchell)". Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 2019-09-25.
- ^ a b "Maria Mitchell Discovers a Comet". This Month in Physics History. American Physical Society. Retrieved November 1, 2012.
- ^ "Comet". Maria Mitchell. Maria Mitchell Association. Retrieved November 1, 2012.