| C/2018 V1 (Machholz–Fujikawa–Iwamoto) | |
| Background: |
|
| Discoverer: | Donald Machholz |
| Discovered: | 7 November 2018 |
| Orbit Ref: | [1] |
| Epoch: | 16 November 2018 |
| Observation Arc: | 37 days |
| Perihelion: | 0.386954 AU |
| Eccentricity: | 1.00040 |
| Period: | ejection (barycentric epoch 2050) |
| Mean Anomaly: | -0.00057 |
| Inclination: | 143.9878° |
| Asc Node: | 128.7222° |
| Arg Peri: | 88.7749° |
| Moid: | 0.115002 AU |
| Magnitude: | 28.0 |
Comet C/2018 V1 (Machholz–Fujikawa–Iwamoto) is a minor body that follows a slightly hyperbolic orbit (eccentricity > 1, 16.4-sigma). It was visually discovered on 7 November 2018 by Donald Machholz using an 18.5-inch reflecting telescopeand it reached perihelion on 3 December 2018.
It was estimated to be between 8 and 10th magnitude from mid-November to mid-December 2018, visible in a small telescope. The value of its total (absolute magnitude of comet and coma) magnitude is 14.6 mag. It was discovered by three amateur astronomers: by an observer in Colfax, California, USA and by two observers in Japan.[2] [3] The observations by three astronomers result in the name for the comet, Machholz-Fujikawa-Iwamoto.[4] The current orbit determination of this comet is based on 750 observations with a 37-day observation arc.[1]
Comet C/2018 V1 has a significant probability (72.6%) of having an extrasolar provenance although an origin in the Oort Cloud cannot be excluded.[5] As the present-day value of its barycentric orbital eccentricity is greater than 1, this comet is currently escaping from the Solar System, aiming for interstellar space.[5]