C/1989 Q1 (Okazaki–Levy–Rudenko)

For other comets discovered by David H. Levy, see Comet Levy.

Comet Okazaki–Levy–Rudenko, also known by its formal designation C/1989 Q1, is a hyperbolic comet that was barely visible to the naked eye from August 1989 to January 1990.^[6] It is also notable for having an orbit that is almost perpendicular to the ecliptic.^[7]

C/1989 Q1 (Okazaki–Levy–Rudenko)

Discovery[1]
Discovered by	Kiyomi Okazaki David H. Levy Michael Rudenko
Discovery date	24–26 August 1989
Designations
Alternative designations	1989 XIX, 1989r[2]
Orbital characteristics[3]
Epoch	8 October 1989 (JD 2447807.5)
Observation arc	122 days
Number of observations	255
Perihelion	0.642 AU
Eccentricity	1.00006
Inclination	90.146°
Longitude of ascending node	275.51°
Argument of periapsis	150.57°
Last perihelion	11 November 1989
Earth MOID	0.288 AU
Jupiter MOID	1.008 AU
Physical characteristics[4][5]
Mean radius	1.00±0.12 km
Mass	1.8×1012 kg
Mean density	460±80 kg/m3
Comet total magnitude (M1)	7.5
Apparent magnitude	4.9 (1989 apparition)[6]

Physical characteristics

Spectrophotometer measurements taken in October 1989 detected cyanogen (CN) and diatomic carbon (C
₂) molecules emitting from the comet while it was 0.795 AU (118.9 million km) from the Sun.^[8]

In December 1989, the comet produced two unusual features, a wedge-shaped coma and an antisolar jet.^[9] The high levels of polarization in the vicinity of the jet suggest the presence of dust particles that is relatively smaller than that was observed from Halley in 1986.^[9]

Its nucleus is estimated to be around 1.00 ± 0.12 km (0.621 ± 0.075 mi) in radius.^[5]