C/1855 L1 (Donati)

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C/1855 L1 (Donati)
Discovery
Discovered byGiovanni B. Donati
Discovery siteFlorence, Italy
Discovery date3 June 1855
Designations
1855 II
Orbital characteristics
Epoch17 May 1855 (JD 2398720.5)
Observation arc14 days
Number of
observations
49
Aphelion79.259 AU
Perihelion0.5676 AU
Semi-major axis39.913 AU
Eccentricity0.98578
Orbital period252 years
Inclination156.871°
262.231°
Argument of
periapsis
22.488°
Last perihelion30 May 1855
Next perihelion~2097
TJupiter–0.726
Physical characteristics
Comet total
magnitude
(M1)
11.3
8.0
(1855 apparition)

Comet Donati, formally designated as C/1855 L1, is a long-period comet that has an orbital period of approximately 252 years. It was the second comet discovered in 1855, and the first of five comets discovered by Italian astronomer, Giovanni Battista Donati.