38P/Stephan–Oterma

Discovery
Discovered by	Coggia, Jerome E.
Discovery date	January 22, 1867
Designations
Alternative designations	P/1980 L2, P/1942 V1, P/1867 B1, 38P
Orbital characteristics
Epoch	1981-Apr-26 (JD 2444720.5)[1]
Aphelion	20.920 AU (near Uranus orbit)
Perihelion	1.5744 AU (near Mars orbit)
Semi-major axis	11.247 AU
Eccentricity	0.86002
Orbital period	37.72 yr
Inclination	17.981°
Last perihelion	November 10, 2018[2][3] December 5, 1980[1][3]
Next perihelion	2056-Aug-28[2]

38P/Stephan–Oterma (also known as Comet Stephan–Oterma) is a periodic comet with an orbital period of 38 years. It fits the classical definition of a Halley-type comet with (20 years < period < 200 years).^[1] It was discovered on 22.9 January 1867, by Jérôme Eugène Coggia at Marseilles Observatory, France.^[1] On 25.86 January Édouard Stephan confirmed it was a comet. It was recovered in 6 November 1942 by the Finnish astronomer Liisi Oterma.^[4]

38P/Stephan–Oterma last came to perihelion on November 10, 2018.^[2][3] It was recovered by Pan-STARRS on June 24, 2017 while 5.3 AU from the Sun.^[2] The next perihelion passage is August 28, 2056.^[2]

It has perihelion near the orbit of Mars and has aphelion near the orbit of Uranus. Acting like a centaur-hybrid, between the years 1982 and 2067, this object will make close approaches to the giant planets Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus.^[5]

• 38P/Stephan–Oterma at the JPL Small-Body Database
  • Close approach · Discovery · Ephemeris · Orbit viewer · Orbit parameters · Physical parameters
• Gary W. Kronk's Cometography page for 38P

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