246P/NEAT
DiscovererNear-Earth Asteroid Tracking (NEAT)
Discovery siteHaleakala Observatory
Discovery date28 March 2004
Mpc nameP/2004 F3, P/2010 V2
Epoch17 October 2024 (JD 2460600.5)
Observation arc22.92 years
Earliest precovery date6 January 2002
Obs5,007
Perihelion3.164 AU
Aphelion5.245 AU
Semimajor4.204 AU
Eccentricity0.28504
Period8.62 years
Inclination17.751°
Asc node74.231°
Arg peri185.43°
Mean156.59°
Tjup2.913
Earth moid1.865 AU
Jupiter moid0.096 AU
M 15.9
M 211.3
Last p16 February 2021
Next p28 October 2029[1]

246P/NEAT is a periodic comet discovered on 2004 March 28 by Near-Earth Asteroid Tracking (NEAT) using the 1.2 m (47 in) reflector at Haleakala.[2] It was given the permanent number 246P on 14 January 2011.[3]

Orbit

It is a Quasi-Hilda comet.[4] Due to perturbations by Jupiter, the 2005, 2013 and 2021 perihelion passages will be closer to the Sun.[5] The comet is observable all through its orbit.[5]

References

  1. ^ "Horizons Batch for 246P/NEAT on 2029-Oct-28" (Perihelion occurs when rdot flips from negative to positive). JPL Horizons. Retrieved 2021-09-17. (JPL#212/Soln.date: 2021-Sep-04)
  2. ^ F. Hormuth; J. Ticha; M. Tichy; P. Kusnirak et al. (2004-03-29). "Comet P/2004 F3 (NEAT)". IAU Circular. 8313 (2). D. W. Green (ed.). Bibcode:2012IAUC.8313....2H
  3. ^ D. W. Green (2011-01-14). "Comet 246P/NEAT". IAU Circular. 9192 (2). Bibcode:2011IAUC.9192....2G
  4. ^ I. Toth (2006). "The quasi-Hilda subgroup of ecliptic comets - an update". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 448 (3): 1191–1196. Bibcode:2006A&A...448.1191T. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20053492
  5. ^ S. Yoshida (2010-11-13). "246P/NEAT". www.aerith.net. Retrieved 2012-07-31.