 Comet Bennett on 30 March 1970 | |
| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | John Caister Bennett |
| Discovery date | 28 December 1969 |
| Designations | |
| Comet Bennett, 1969 Y1 | |
| Orbital characteristics | |
| Epoch | 2440680.5 (April 4, 1970) |
| Aphelion | 282 AU |
| Perihelion | 0.538 AU |
| Semi-major axis | 141 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.9962 |
| Orbital period | 1678 a |
| Inclination | 90.0° |
| Last perihelion | March 20, 1970 |
| Next perihelion | 3600s |
Comet Bennett, formally known as C/1969 Y1 (old style 1970 II and 1969i), was one of the two bright comets observed in the 1970s, along with Comet West and is considered a great comet.[1] The name is also borne by an altogether different comet, C/1974 V2. Discovered by John Caister Bennett on December 28, 1969, while still almost two AUs from the Sun, it reached perihelion on March 20, passing closest to Earth on March 26, 1970, as it receded, peaking at magnitude 0.[2] It was last observed on February 27, 1971.[2]
- ^ Yeomans, Donald K. "Great Comets in History". ssd.jpl.nasa.gov. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
- ^ a b C&MS: C/1969 Y1 (Bennett)