7P/Pons–Winnecke Explained

7P/Pons–Winnecke
Discoverer:Jean Louis Pons &<br />Friedrich Winnecke
Discovery Date:June 12, 1819 &<br />March 9, 1858
Designations:1858 E1, 1858 II, 1819 III,
1927c, 1933b, 1939c,
1945a, 1951c, 1964b,
1970b, 1976f, 1983b,
1989g
Epoch:2023-02-25
Semimajor:3.41 AU
Perihelion:1.233 AU
Aphelion:5.59 AU
Eccentricity:0.6385
Period:6.30 yrs
Inclination:22.373°
Earth Moid:0.24AU
Last P:May 27, 2021
January 30, 2015
September 26, 2008
Next P:2027-Aug-25
Dimensions:5.2 km
Perihelion distance
at different epochs
Perihelion
(AU)
1819 0.77
1875 0.83
1886 0.89
1898 0.92
1909 0.97
1921 1.04
1933 1.10
1989 1.26
2027 1.13
2039 0.982
2062 0.847

7P/Pons–Winnecke (also known as Comet Pons–Winnecke) is a periodic Jupiter-family comet with a six-year orbit. Early calculations for the 1921 apparition suggested that the orbit of the comet might collide with Earth in June, but observations on 10 April ruled out an impact.[1] It made a very close approach to Earth in June 1927.[2] The outward migration of perihelion created impressive meteor showers in 1916, 1921 and 1927.

The next perihelion passage is 25 August 2027 when the comet will have a solar elongation of 63 degrees. The last perihelion passage was 27 May 2021 when the comet had a solar elongation of 107 degrees at approximately apparent magnitude 11. It passed 0.44abbr=unitNaNabbr=unit from Earth on 12 June 2021. Before that it came to perihelion on 30 January 2015 with a solar elongation of 24 degrees.

Jean Louis Pons (Marseille) originally discovered the comet on 12 June 1819, it was later rediscovered by Friedrich August Theodor Winnecke (Bonn) on 9 March 1858. It is the parent body of the June Bootids of late June.

7P has an orbital period of 6.3 years. It currently has a perihelion of 1.2 AU (outside the orbit of Earth) and an aphelion of 5.6 AU (past the orbit of Jupiter). It passed within 0.04abbr=unitNaNabbr=unit of Earth in June 1927, and 0.1abbr=unitNaNabbr=unit in 1939; but it will not come as close in the 21st century. A close approach to Jupiter in July 2037 will drop perihelion to 0.982 AU, and by 2062 perihelion will be further reduced to 0.85 AU.

7P/Pons–Winnecke closest Earth approach on 2062-Jun-12! 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
2062-Jun-12 18:25 ± 10 min 0.1676abbr=unitNaNabbr=unit 0.8499AU 16.3 42.5 ± 312 km Horizons

The comet nucleus is estimated at 5.2 km in diameter.

Proposed exploration

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory proposed a flyby of the comet with a flight spare of Mariner 4 with the closest approach taking place in 1969. The probe was instead used for a Venus flyby as Mariner 5.[3]

External links

Notes and References

  1. https://books.google.com/books?id=GCoDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA17 Popular Science July 1921
  2. Web site: Record Close Comet Distances from Earth.
  3. Book: Ulivi . Paolo . Harland . David M . 2007 . Robotic Exploration of the Solar System Part I: The Golden Age 1957-1982 . Springer . 57–58 . 9780387493268 .