159P/LONEOS (0159P)

TRY AGAIN 2030

Type: Periodic Perihelion date: 21 May 2018 Perihelion distance (q): 3.6 Aphelion distance (Q) : 8.1 Period (years): 14.2 Eccentricity (e): 0.38 Inclination (i): 23.5 JPL orbit diagram COBS lightcurve LONEOS discovered an 19th mag asteroid on 16 October 2003. Subsequent images taken by Carl Hergenrother with the Mt Hopkins 1.2 m reflector on 30 November showed cometary features. Maik Meyer found images of the comet on Palomar plates taken in 1989 and 1991, thus allowing a secure orbit to be determined. Observations (VEMag = visual equivalent magnitude) Date 10x10 mag Error VEmag Coma ' 18-Oct-17 19.04 0.11 18.6 0.2 29-Oct-17 18.89 0.16 17.2 0.2 19-Dec-17 19.34 0.06 19.2 0.2 03-Jan-18 19.19 0.08 18.8 0.2 13-Feb-18 19.43 0.12 19.1 0.2 15-Oct-18 17.92 0.04 17.6 0.2 11-Nov-18 17.69 0.02 17.4 0.2 30-Nov-18 17.35 0.03 17.0 0.3 10-Dec-18 17.28 0.02 16.9 0.3 28-Dec-18 17.31 0.06 16.7 0.3 24-Dec-19 18.72 0.09 18.2 0.4 04-Jan-20 18.61 0.06 18.2 0.3 22-Jan-20 18.62 0.03 18.1 0.3 01-Feb-20 18.55 0.04 17.8 0.3 16-Feb-20 18.67 0.09 18.3 0.3 21-Mar-20 19.14 0.05 18.8 0.3