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C/1958 R1 (Burnham–Slaughter)

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Not to be confused with 56P/Slaughter–Burnham.
For other comets discovered by Robert Burnham Jr., see Comet Burnham.
C/1958 R1 (Burnham–Slaughter)
Comet Burnham–Slaughter photographed by Elizabeth Roemer from the US Naval Observatory on 10 November 1958.[1]
Discovery[2]
Discovered byRobert Burnham Jr.
Charles D. Slaughter
Discovery siteLowell Observatory
Discovery date7 September 1958
Designations
1959 I, 1958e[3]
Orbital characteristics[4][5]
Epoch21 April 1959 (JD 2436679.5)
Observation arc592 days (1.62 years)
Number of
observations		94
Aphelion~27,600 AU (inbound)
~7,100 AU (outbound)
Perihelion1.628 AU
Semi-major axis~13,800 AU (inbound)
~3,550 AU (outbound)
Eccentricity0.99984
Orbital period~1.6 million years (inbound)
~210,000 years (outbound)
Inclination61.257°
323.78°
Argument of
periapsis		100.74°
Last perihelion11 March 1959
TJupiter0.761
Earth MOID1.158 AU
Jupiter MOID0.578 AU
Physical characteristics[6]
Comet total
magnitude (M1)		13.7
11.1
(1959 apparition)

Comet Burnham–Slaughter, also known by its modern designation C/1958 R1, is a faint non-periodic comet that was observed through telescopes between September 1958 and April 1960. It is the first of two comets that were co-discovered by Robert Burnham Jr. and Charles D. Slaughter.[a]

Observational history

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While conducting a proper motion survey at the Lowell Observatory on 7 September 1958, astronomers Robert Burnham Jr. and Charles D. Slaughter found a new comet using the observatory's 13 in (33 cm) telescope.[2][6] At the time, it was a diffuse 14th-magnitude object within the constellation Equuleus.[b] It was Burnham's third comet discovery overall after C/1957 U1 and C/1958 D1.

Elizabeth Roemer became the only astronomer to regularly observe the comet from late 1959 to early 1960.[7] Upon her final known observation on 21 April 1960, she described the comet as a "weak but fairly sharply condensed" object at magnitude 19.7 within the constellation Hydra.[c]

Orbit

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George van Biesbroeck calculated the comet's definitive orbit in 1970, using 94 positions recorded in a time span of 592 days.[8] Taking into account the gravitational perturbations of all the planets except Mercury, the comet has a highly parabolic elliptical orbit with an orbital period spanning millions of years, inclined about 61 degrees from the ecliptic. Forward and backward computations of its barycentric orbit in 20-year intervals by Brian G. Marsden has concluded that Burnham–Slaughter is permanently bound to the Solar System.[8]

Additional data from JPL Horizons has indicated that the aphelion of the comet on its outbound trajectory has significantly decreased from 13,800 AU (2.06 trillion km) to 3,550 AU (531 billion km), subsequently reducing its orbital period from 1.6 million years to 210,000 years.[4]

References

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Notes

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  1. ^ Their second comet, 56P/Slaughter–Burnham, was discovered on 27 January 1959
  2. ^ Reported initial position upon discovery was: α = 21h 19.6m , δ = 10° 24′[6]
  3. ^ Positions upon final observation was: α = 9h 16.19m , δ = –15° 18′[7]

Citations

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  1. ^ E. Roemer (January 1959). "Observer's Page: Comet Burnham–Slaughter". Sky & Telescope. Vol. 18, no. 3. pp. 152–153.
  2. ^ a b R. Burnham Jr.; C. D. Slaughter (12 September 1958). J. M. Vinter Hansen (ed.). "Comet Burnham–Slaughter (1958e)". IAU Circular. 1656 (4).
  3. ^ "Comet Names and Designations". International Comet Quarterly. Retrieved 6 June 2025.
  4. ^ a b "Barycentric Osculating Orbital Elements for Comet C/1958 R1 (Burnham–Slaughter) in epoch 1800 and 2200". JPL Horizons On-Line Ephemeris System. Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 6 June 2025. (Solution using the Solar System's barycenter (Sun+Jupiter). Select Ephemeris Type:Elements and Center:@0)
  5. ^ "C/1958 R1 (Burnham–Slaughter) – JPL Small-Body Database Lookup". ssd.jpl.nasa.gov. Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 6 June 2025.
  6. ^ a b c G. W. Kronk (2009). Cometography: A Catalog of Comets. Vol. 4: 1933–1959. Cambridge University Press. pp. 554–558. ISBN 978-0-521-58507-1.
  7. ^ a b E. Roemer; M. Thomas; R. E. Lloyd (1966). "Observations of Comets, Minor Planets and Jupiter VIII". Astronomical Journal. 71 (7): 591–601. Bibcode:1966AJ.....71..591R. doi:10.1086/109968.
  8. ^ a b G. van Biesbroeck (1970). "The Orbit of Comet Burnham-Slaughter 1958e-1959I" (PDF). Communications of Lunar and Planetary Laboratory. 8 (146). University of Arizona: 189–192. Bibcode:1970CoLPL...8..189V.
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