- 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).
 | |
| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by: | Giovanni Battista Donati |
| Discovery date: | 1858 |
| Alternate designations: | 1858 VI |
| Orbital characteristics A | |
| Epoch: | 2400040.5 |
| Aphelion distance: | 311 AU |
| Perihelion distance: | 0.58 AU |
| Semi-major axis: | 156 AU |
| Eccentricity: | 0.996 |
| Orbital period: | 1,953 yr. (a) |
| Inclination: | 117° |
| Last perihelion: | September 30, 1858 |
| Next perihelion: | 3811 |
Comet Donati, or Donati's Comet, formally designated C/1858 L1 and 1858 VI, was a comet named after the Italian astronomer Giovanni Battista Donati who first observed it on June 2, 1858. The comet is considered a non-periodic comet. 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. It was nearest the Earth on October 10, 1858 and is expected to return in 3811.
In art
Donati's Comet appears as a streak and star in the early evening sky of a painting by William Dyce, A Recollection of October 5th, 1858.[1]
See also
- C/1857 V1 (a.k.a. 1857 VI), Comet Donati-van Arsdale
- C/1864 O1 (a.k.a. 1864 III), Comet Donati-Toussaint
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