Great Comet of 371 BC
| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovery date | 372–371 BC |
| Orbital characteristics | |
| Epoch | 11 January 371 BC (JD 1585560.5) |
| Observation arc | ~10 weeks |
| Orbit type | Kreutz sungrazers |
| Perihelion | 0.0068 AU (1.5 R☉) |
| Eccentricity | 0.99992 |
| Orbital period | ~790 years |
| Inclination | 141.32° |
| 345.43° | |
| Argument of periapsis | 68.354° |
| Last perihelion | 20 January 371 BC |
| Physical characteristics | |
Mean radius | ~60 km (37 mi) |
The Great Comet of 372–371 BC (sometimes Aristotle's Comet) was a comet that was observed by Aristotle, Ephorus, and Callisthenes. Ephorus reported that it split into two pieces, a larger fragment that is thought to have possibly returned in 1106 AD, as X/1106 C1, and another smaller fragment. While visible from Earth, it was said to have cast shadows at night comparable to a full moon. The Great Comet is thought to possibly be the source of the Kreutz sungrazer family.