7P/Pons–Winnecke

7P/Pons–Winnecke
Comet Pons–Winnecke as seen in 2021 by ZTF
Discovery
Discovered byJean Louis Pons &
Friedrich Winnecke
Discovery dateJune 12, 1819 &
March 9, 1858
Designations
1858 E1, 1858 II, 1819 III,
1927c, 1933b, 1939c,
1945a, 1951c, 1964b,
1970b, 1976f, 1983b,
1989g
Orbital characteristics
Epoch2023-02-25[1]
Aphelion5.59 AU
Perihelion1.233 AU
Semi-major axis3.41 AU
Eccentricity0.6385
Orbital period6.30 yrs
Inclination22.373°
Last perihelionMay 27, 2021[1]
January 30, 2015[2]
September 26, 2008
Next perihelion2027-Aug-25[3][4]
Earth MOID0.24 AU (36 million km)
Physical characteristics
Dimensions5.2 km[5]
Perihelion distance
at different epochs[4]
Epoch 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
Contemporary 1921 illustration of Pons–Winnecke comet[6]

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.[6] It made a very close approach to Earth in June 1927.[7] The outward migration of perihelion created impressive meteor showers in 1916, 1921 and 1927.[8]

The next perihelion passage is 25 August 2027[3] 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.[2] It passed 0.44 AU (66 million km) from Earth on 12 June 2021. Before that it came to perihelion on 30 January 2015[2] with a solar elongation of 24 degrees.[9]

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 0.04 AU (6.0 million km; 16 LD) of Earth in June 1927, and 0.1 AU (15 million km) in 1939;[5] but it will not come as close in the 21st century. A close approach to Jupiter in July 2037[5] will drop perihelion to 0.982 AU, and by 2062 perihelion will be further reduced to 0.85 AU.[4]

7P/Pons–Winnecke closest Earth approach on 2062-Jun-12[5]
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 0.1676 AU (25.07 million km; 15.58 million mi; 65.2 LD) 0.8499 AU (127.14 million km; 79.00 million mi; 330.8 LD) 16.3 42.5 ± 312 km Horizons

The comet nucleus is estimated at 5.2 km in diameter.[5]

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.[10] The probe was instead used for a Venus flyby as Mariner 5.[10]

References

  1. ^ a b "7P/Pons-Winnecke". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 2019-03-05.
  2. ^ a b c Seiichi Yoshida (2013-12-14). "7P/Pons-Winnecke". Seiichi Yoshida's Comet Catalog. Retrieved 2014-10-29.
  3. ^ a b "Horizons Batch for 7P/Pons-Winnecke (90000167) on 2027-Aug-25" (Perihelion occurs when rdot flips from negative to positive). JPL Horizons. Retrieved 2022-06-15. (JPL#24/Soln.date: 2021-Dec-20)
  4. ^ a b c Kinoshita, Kazuo (2016-07-31). "7P/Pons-Winnecke past, present and future orbital elements". Comet Orbit. Archived from the original on 2011-05-20. Retrieved 2023-07-27.
  5. ^ a b c d e "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 7P/Pons-Winnecke" (last observation:2014-03-28). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Archived from the original on 2012-12-13. Retrieved 2010-02-25.
  6. ^ a b Popular Science July 1921
  7. ^ "Record Close Comet Distances from Earth".
  8. ^ Kronk, Gary W. "7P/Pons-Winnecker". Retrieved 2019-03-05. (Cometography Home Page)
  9. ^ "Elements and Ephemeris for 7P/Pons-Winnecke". Minor Planet Center. Archived from the original on 2014-10-29. Retrieved 2014-10-29. (0007P)
  10. ^ a b Ulivi, Paolo; Harland, David M (2007). Robotic Exploration of the Solar System Part I: The Golden Age 1957-1982. Springer. pp. 57–58. ISBN 9780387493268.


Numbered comets
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