This article needs to be updated.(December 2010) |
Discovery | |
---|---|
Discovered by | Robert H. McNaught |
Discovery site | Siding Spring Observatory |
Discovery date | 9 September 2009 |
Orbital characteristics | |
Epoch | 13 June 2010 (JD 2455360.5) |
Perihelion | 0.405011[1] |
Eccentricity | 1.00034[1] 1.00029 (epoch 2020+)[2] |
Inclination | 77.0070[1] |
Last perihelion | July 2, 2010[1] |
Next perihelion | ejection[3] |
C/2009 R1 (McNaught), one of more than fifty comets known as Comet McNaught,[4] is a non-periodic comet discovered by British-Australian astronomer Robert H. McNaught on September 9, 2009, using the Uppsala Southern Schmidt Telescope at Siding Spring Observatory in New South Wales, Australia.[5] The discovery was confirmed the same day at the Optical Ground Station telescope at Tenerife.[5] After the discovery, earlier images of the comet were found from July 20, August 1, and August 18, 2009.[5] It is believed that C/2009 R1 has left the Solar System permanently.[3]