Hyperbolic comet

C/1999 S4 (LINEAR)

A near-parabolic long-period comet from the Oort cloud, famous for disintegrating completely near perihelion in July 2000 — one of the best-observed comet break-ups. Its orbit was close to the parabolic boundary (eccentricity near 1), the hallmark of a first-time visitor from the distant Solar System, not from interstellar space.

Hyperbolic (Solar-System origin)Near-parabolic (e ≈ 1) — a long-period comet

Physical & orbital character

Origin:A long-period comet from the Oort cloud — not interstellar

Activity:Disintegrated near perihelion in July 2000

How it was identified

Trajectory class:Near-Parabolic Orbit

Catalogued by:Minor Planet Center

Related comet class:Long-Period Comets

Knowledge connections

Trajectory classNear-Parabolic Orbit
Catalogued inMinor Planet Center
Associated withLong-Period Comets

Sources

The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.

Minor Planet CenterIAU Minor Planet Center
Designations and orbits of asteroids, comets, and minor bodies.
NASA JPLJet Propulsion Laboratory / Solar System Dynamics
Orbital data, ephemerides, and small-body parameters for planets, asteroids, and comets.
NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration
Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.
Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.