111P/Helin–Roman–Crockett

111P/Helin-Roman-Crockett
Discovery
Discovered by Eleanor F. Helin
Ron Helin
Brian P. Roman
Randy L. Crockett
Palomar Observatory (675)
Discovery date January 5, 1989
Alternative
designations
1988 XIII
Orbital characteristics A
Epoch March 6, 2006
Aphelion 4.607 AU
Perihelion 3.474 AU
Semi-major axis 4.041 AU
Eccentricity 0.1402
Orbital period 8.122 a
Inclination 4.2326°
Last perihelion January 30, 2013[1]
December 27, 2004[2]
Next perihelion 2021-Jun-15[3]

111P/Helin–Roman–Crockett is a periodic comet in the Solar System. It was discovered by Eleanor and Ron Helin on 5 January 1989 from images obtained on the 3rd and 4th of that month. It is a Jupiter family comet known for extremely close approaches to Jupiter being a Quasi-Hilda comet. During these approaches, it actually orbits Jupiter.[4] The last such approach was in 1976,[5] the next will be in 2071.[5] The Jovian orbits are highly elliptical and subject to intense Solar perturbation at apojove which eventually pulls the comet out of Jovian orbit for the cycle to begin anew.

Simulations predict such a cycle is unstable, the object will either be captured into an encounter orbit (e.g. Shoemaker-Levy 9) or expelled into a new orbit which does not have periodic approaches. This implies that 111P's orbit is recent within the past few thousand years. It fits the definition of an Encke-type comet with (TJupiter > 3; a < aJupiter).[6]

References

  1. Syuichi Nakano (2005-10-26). "111P/Helin-Roman-Crockett (NK 1271)". OAA Computing and Minor Planet Sections. Retrieved 2012-02-24.
  2. Seiichi Yoshida (2011-07-22). "111P/Helin-Roman-Crockett". Seiichi Yoshida's Comet Catalog. Retrieved 2012-02-24.
  3. "111P/Helin-Roman-Crockett Orbit". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 2014-06-17.
  4. Tancredi, G. (1990). "The capture of P/Helin-Roman-Crockett by Jupiter". Comptes-rendus de la table ronde: Nouveaux développements en planétologie dynamique: 273–279. Bibcode:1990ndpd.conf..273T.
  5. 1 2 "JPL Close-Approach Data: 111P/Helin-Roman-Crockett" (2001-09-20 last obs). Retrieved 2012-02-24.
  6. "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 111P/Helin-Roman-Crockett" (2001-09-20 last obs). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 2012-07-26.

Observations:

Numbered comets
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