.png) Wirtanen at perihelion on 12 December 2018 | |
| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Carl A. Wirtanen |
| Discovery date | January 17, 1948 |
| Designations | |
| 1961 IV; 1960m; 1967 XIV; 1967k; 1974 XI; 1974i; 1986 VI; 1985q; 1991 XVI; 1991s; 46P/1948 A1; 1947 XIII; 1948b; 46P/1954 R2; 1954 XI; 1954j | |
| Orbital characteristics[1] | |
| Epoch | 2023-02-25 (JDT 2460000.5) |
| Aphelion | 5.127 AU |
| Perihelion | 1.055 AU |
| Semi-major axis | 3.091 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.65867 |
| Orbital period | 5.43 yr |
| Inclination | 11.749° |
| Last perihelion | December 12, 2018[1] July 9, 2013[2] February 2, 2008 |
| Next perihelion | 2024-May-19[1] |
| Earth MOID | 0.071 AU (10,600,000 km)[3] |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions | 1.4 km (radar)[4] |
| 8.9 hours[4] | |
| Perihelion distance at different epochs[5] | |||||||
| Epoch | Perihelion (AU) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | 1.61 | ||||||
| 1974 | 1.26 | ||||||
| 1986 | 1.08 | ||||||
| 2013 | 1.05 | ||||||
| 2035 | 1.08 | ||||||
| 2046 | 1.22 | ||||||
| 2059 | 1.98 | ||||||
| 2095 | 2.01 | ||||||
46P/Wirtanen is a small short-period comet with a current orbital period of 5.4 years.[6][7] It was the original target for close investigation by the Rosetta spacecraft, planned by the European Space Agency, but an inability to meet the launch window caused Rosetta to be sent to 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko instead.[8] It belongs to the Jupiter family of comets, all of which have aphelia between 5 and 6 AU. Its diameter is estimated at 1.4 kilometres (0.9 mi). In December 2019, astronomers reported capturing an outburst of the comet in substantial detail by the TESS space telescope.[6][7]
- ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference
MPCwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Syuichi Nakano (2010-04-09). "46P/Wirtanen (NK 1909)". OAA Computing and Minor Planet Sections. Retrieved 2012-02-18.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
jpldatawas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b "UA Researcher Captures Rare Radar Images of Comet 46P/Wirtanen". 20 December 2018.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Kinoshitawas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b Goddard Space Flight Center (3 December 2019). "NASA's exoplanet-hunting mission catches a natural comet outburst in unprecedented detail". EurekAlert!. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
- ^ a b University of Maryland (3 December 2019). "UMD astronomers catch a natural comet outburst in unprecedented detail - Data from NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) reveal start-to-finish sequence of an outburst from comet 46P/Wirtanen". EurekAlert!. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
- ^ Ulamec, S.; Espinasse, S.; Feuerbacher, B.; Hilchenbach, M.; Moura, D.; et al. (April 2006). "Rosetta Lander—Philae: Implications of an alternative mission". Acta Astronautica. 58 (8): 435–441. Bibcode:2006AcAau..58..435U. doi:10.1016/j.actaastro.2005.12.009.