C/2018 V1 (Machholz–Fujikawa–Iwamoto)
Hyperbolic comet
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
C/2018 V1 (Machholz–Fujikawa–Iwamoto) is a comet that follows a slightly hyperbolic trajectory. It was visually discovered on 7 November 2018 by Donald Machholz using an 18.5-inch reflecting telescope,[3][4] and was independently co-discovered by Shigehisa Fujikawa and Masayuki Iwamoto respectively. It reached perihelion on 3 December 2018.
Path of the comet C/2018 V1 across the sky, with a 7-day motion shown | |
| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Donald Machholz Shigehisa Fujikawa Masayuki Iwamoto |
| Discovery site | Colfax, California Japan |
| Discovery date | 7 November 2018 |
| Orbital characteristics[1] | |
| Epoch | 16 November 2018 (JD 2458438.5) |
| Observation arc | 37 days |
| Number of observations | 750 |
| Perihelion | 0.387 AU |
| Eccentricity | 1.00039 |
| Inclination | 143.988° |
| 128.722° | |
| Argument of periapsis | 88.775° |
| Last perihelion | 3 December 2018 |
| TJupiter | –0.624 |
| Earth MOID | 0.115 AU |
| Jupiter MOID | 2.567 AU |
| Physical characteristics[2] | |
| Comet total magnitude (M1) | 12.8 |
| Comet nuclear magnitude (M2) | 17.1 |
| 7.5 (2018 apparition) | |
Overview
It was estimated to be between 8 and 10th magnitude from mid-November to mid-December 2018, visible in a small telescope. It was discovered by three amateur astronomers: by an observer in Colfax, California, USA and by two observers in Japan.[5] The observations by three astronomers result in the name for the comet, Machholz-Fujikawa-Iwamoto.[3][6] The current orbit determination of this comet is based on 750 observations with a 37-day observation arc.[1]
Comet C/2018 V1 has a significant probability (72.6%) of having an extrasolar provenance although an origin in the Oort Cloud cannot be excluded.[7] As the present-day value of its barycentric orbital eccentricity is greater than 1, this comet is currently escaping from the Solar System, aiming for interstellar space.[7]
Perihelion in early December 2018, above the orbit of Mercury
Animation of C/2018 V1's orbit
Sun · Mercury · Venus · Earth · Mars · C/2018 V1
