| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | M. E. Van Ness
[1] LONEOS telescope at Lowell Observatory |
| Discovery date | 28 July 2001 [2] |
| Orbital characteristics | |
| Epoch | 15 December 2001
[3] ( JD 2452258.5) |
| Aphelion | 25.606 AU (Q) |
| Perihelion | 0.99404 AU (q) |
| Semi-major axis | 13.300 AU (a) |
| Eccentricity | 0.92526 |
| Orbital period | 48.51 yr |
| Inclination | 80.245° |
| Last perihelion | 2002-Mar-15 [3] |
| Next perihelion | 2050-Jun-07 [4] |
| Earth MOID | 0.3 AU (45 million km) |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions | 13.6 ± 1.0 km [3] |
C/2001 OG108 (LONEOS) is a Halley-type comet with an orbital period of 48.51 years. [3] It was discovered on 28 July 2001 by the LONEOS telescope at Lowell Observatory. [2] Of the short-period comets with known diameters and perihelion inside the orbit of Earth, C/2001 OG108 is the second largest after Comet Swift–Tuttle. [5]
Observations taken in January and February 2002 showed that the "asteroid" had developed a small amount of cometary activity as it approached perihelion. [1] It was subsequently reclassified as a comet. [1] The comet came to perihelion (closest approach to the Sun) on 15 March 2002. [3] It will come to aphelion in 2026 and the next perihelion passage is calculated to be on 7 June 2050. [4] On 23 March 2147 the comet will pass about 0.42 AU (63 million km; 160 LD) from Earth [3] with an uncertainty region of about ±2 million km. [6]
| Date & time of closest approach |
Earth distance ( AU) |
Sun distance (AU) |
Velocity wrt Earth (km/s) |
Velocity wrt Sun (km/s) |
Uncertainty region ( 3-sigma) |
Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2147-03-23 11:20 ± 13:38 | 0.42 AU (63 million km; 39 million mi; 160 LD) | 1.35 AU (202 million km; 125 million mi; 530 LD) | 40.3 | 35.3 | ± 2 million km | Horizons |
The comet has a rotational period of 2.38 ± 0.02 days (57.12 hr). [1] [3]
In 2003, the comet was estimated to have a mean absolute V magnitude (H) of 13.05 ± 0.10, with an albedo of 0.03, giving an effective radius of 8.9 ± 0.7 km. [1] Using data from Fernandez (2004–2005) JPL lists the comet with an albedo of 0.05 and a diameter of 13.6 ± 1.0 km. [3]
This comet probably represents the transition between typical Halley-family/long-period comets and extinct comets. [1] Damocloids have been studied as possible extinct cometary candidates due to the similarity of their orbital parameters with those of Halley-family comets. [1]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g Abell, Paul A.; Fernández, Yanga R.; Pravec, Petr; French, Linda M.; Farnham, Tony L.; Gaffey, Michael J.; Hardersen, Paul S.; Kušnirák, Peter; Šarounová, Lenka; Sheppard, Scott S. (2003). "Physical Characteristics of Asteroid-like Comet Nucleus C/2001 OG108 (LONEOS)". 34th Annual Lunar and Planetary Science Conference: 1253. Bibcode: 2003LPI....34.1253A.
- ^ a b French, Linda M. (2002). "Pre-Activity BVRI Colors of High-Inclination Comet C/2001 OG108 (LONEOS)". American Astronomical Society, DPS Meeting No. 34, #16.01. 34: 868. Bibcode: 2002DPS....34.1601F.
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i
"JPL Small-Body Database Browser: C/2001 OG108 (LONEOS)" (last observation: 2002-07-03;
arc: 340 days).
Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Archived from the original on 24 July 2020. Retrieved 18 May 2011.
(Close approach uncertainty: (MaxDist of 0.434) – (MinDist of 0.408) * 149597870.7 = 3.9 million km) - ^ a b "Horizons Batch for C/2001 OG108 (LONEOS) on 2050-Jun-07" (Perihelion occurs when rdot flips from negative to positive). JPL Horizons. Retrieved 20 January 2023. (JPL#42/Soln.date: 2021-Apr-15)
- ^ "JPL Small-Body Database Search Engine: comets and q < 1 (au) and period < 200 (years)". JPL Solar System Dynamics. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
- ^ "Horizons Batch for 2147-Mar-23 Earth Approach". JPL Horizons. Archived from the original on 20 January 2023. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
External links
- Orbital simulation from JPL (Java) / Horizons Ephemeris
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