Comet Bennett (C/1969 Y1)

Discovered by:        John Caister Bennett
Discovery date:       December 28, 1969
Peak magnitude:     0.0
Aphelion:                282 AU (42.0 billion kilometres or 26.1 billion miles)
Perihelion:              0.538 AU (80.48 million kilometers or 50.01 million miles)
Semi-major axis:     141 AU (21.0 billion kilometres or 13.0 billion miles)
Eccentricity:            0.9962
Orbital period:         1678 years
Inclination:              90.0 degrees

Last perihelion:       March 20, 1970
Next perihelion:       3600 (estimate)

Comet Bennett in 1970 (Pretoria Centre of the ASSA)

Discovered on December 28, 1969 from Pretoria by renowned South African amateur astronomer and comet hunter John Caister Bennett.

Was at magnitude +8.5 when discovered, appearing small and diffuse and with no sign of tail. At the time Bennett was situated 1.70 AU from Earth and 1.68 AU from the Sun, just outside the orbit of Mars.

Perihelion was reached on March 20, 1970 with Bennett peaking at magnitude 0.0 and displaying a tail of 15 degrees in length.

Closest approach to Earth occurred 6 days later on March 26 (0.69 AU distant).

Bennett was widely observed in April in the morning sky as its position improved. Although now moving away from the Earth and the Sun and therefore fading the comet remained a superb sight especially during the first part of April.

By the beginning of May it was down to the limit of naked eye visibility.

With an orbital period of 1678 years, Bennett is expected to next return sometime around 3600.