C/2019 Q4 (Borisov) - First Interstellar Comet!

[theskyhound]

The Minor Planet Center just released an orbit for C/2019 Q4 (Borisov) and I have added it to the current comets target list.

This comet was only recognized yesterday as being of interstellar origin (a first). It is currently brighter than 19th mag.

[PMSchu]

Wow! A comet with eccentricity=3.08. They've detected 2 of these objects in 2 years. I wonder how many have passed through the solar system undetected. Do you remember the e of Oumuamua (sp?)?

Thanks for the updated comet data.

Phil S.

[theskyhound]

Wow! A comet with eccentricity=3.08. They've detected 2 of these objects in 2 years. I wonder how many have passed through the solar system undetected. Do you remember the e of Oumuamua (sp?)?

Thanks for the updated comet data.

Phil S.

The eccentricity was 1.2 for Oumuamua.

[PMSchu]

Thanks Greg, definitely a hyperbolic orbit, but nothing like 3.08. It will be interesting to see how bright C/2019 Q4 (Borisov) becomes as it approaches the sun. A perihelion of 1.9 AU is still pretty far out.

Phil S.

[theskyhound]

Regarding the new interstellar designation for this comet, 2I/Borisov, SkyTools is not ready yet to handle those designations, so please continue to look for this comet as C/2019 Q4 in SkyTools. I am working on an update that will make it capable of the interstellar designations, but several other issues need to be addressed before I can release it.