333P/LINEAR (0333P)

Type: Periodic Perihelion date: 29 November 2024 Perihelion distance (q): 1.1 Aphelion distance (Q) : 7.3 Period (years): 8.7 Eccentricity (e): 0.74 Inclination (i): 132.0 JPL orbit diagram COBS lightcurve This highly unusual asteroid was discovered by LINEAR with the 1.0m reflector on 4 November 2007. It has a retrograde orbit with a period of 7.6 years and perihelion was at 1.09 au at the end of July 2007. In the current orbit it can approach to within 0.25 au of Jupiter and 0.14 au of the Earth. The object has the shortest known retrograde orbit and showed no sign of cometary activity at this return. Observations (VEMag = visual equivalent magnitude) Date 10x10 mag Error VEmag Coma ' 22-Mar-16 15.16 0.04 13.4 0.2 23-Aug-16 18.64 0.63 18.2 0.2 30-Aug-16 18.85 0.26 16.6 0.2 06-Sep-16 18.58 0.11 18.4 0.2 01-Oct-16 18.93 0.36 18.6 0.2