79P/du Toit–Hartley

< 79P
79P/du Toit–Hartley
Discovery
Discovered byDaniel du Toit
Malcolm Hartley
Discovery siteBoyden Observatory, South Africa
Siding Spring Observatory, Australia
Discovery date9 April 1945
7 February 1982
Designations
P/1945 G1
P/1982 C1
  • 1945 II, 1945c
  • 1982 II, 1982b
  • 1987 IX, 1986q
Orbital characteristics
Epoch17 October 2024 (JD 2460600.5)
Observation arc79.32 years
Number of
observations
323
Aphelion4.766 AU
Perihelion1.121 AU
Semi-major axis2.943 AU
Eccentricity0.61920
Orbital period5.049 years
Inclination3.149°
280.52°
Argument of
periapsis
281.76°
Mean anomaly74.702°
Last perihelion30 September 2023
Next perihelion16 October 2028
TJupiter2.943
Earth MOID0.234 AU
Jupiter MOID0.366 AU
Physical characteristics
Mean diameter
2.8 km (1.7 mi)
Comet total
magnitude
(M1)
17.4

79P/du Toit–Hartley or du Toit 2 is a periodic comet, now divided into two parts, in the Solar System with an orbital period of 5.06 years. Its most recent perihelion was reached on 30 September 2023. It was about 2.7 AU (400 million km) from the Sun and Earth on 26 May 2024.