7P/Pons–Winnecke

7P/Pons–Winnecke (also known as Comet Pons–Winnecke) is a periodic Jupiter-family comet in the Solar System. It made a very close approach to Earth in June 1927.[5] The outward migration of perihelion created impressive meteor showers in 1916, 1921, and 1927.[6]

7P/Pons–Winnecke

Contemporary 1921 illustration of Pons–Winnecke comet.
Discovery
Discovered by	Jean Louis Pons & Friedrich Winnecke
Discovery date	June 12, 1819 & March 9, 1858
Alternative designations	1858 E1, 1858 II, 1819 III, 1927c, 1933b, 1939c, 1945a, 1951c, 1964b, 1970b, 1976f, 1983b, 1989g
Orbital characteristics A
Epoch	May 6, 2002
Aphelion	5.611 AU
Perihelion	1.257 AU
Semi-major axis	3.434 AU
Eccentricity	0.634
Orbital period	6.37 a
Inclination	22.28°
Earth MOID	0.24 AU (36 million km)
Dimensions	5.2 km[1]
Last perihelion	January 30, 2015[2][3] September 26, 2008
Next perihelion	2021-May-27[4]

The comet most recently came to perihelion (closest approach to the Sun) on January 30, 2015,[2] and at perihelion passage it had a solar elongation of 24 degrees.[7]

Jean Louis Pons (Marseille) originally discovered the comet on June 12, 1819, it was later rediscovered by Friedrich August Theodor Winnecke (Bonn) on March 9, 1858. It is believed to be the parent body of the June Bootids of late June.

7P has an orbital period of 6.37 years. It has a perihelion of 1.3 AU and an aphelion of 5.6 AU (past the orbit of Jupiter). It passed within 6 million km (0.04 AU) of Earth in June 1927, and 16 million km (0.1 AU) in 1939;[8] but it will not come as close in the 21st century. A close approach to Jupiter in July 2037[8] will drop perihelion back to 0.982 AU.

The comet nucleus is estimated at about 5.2 km in diameter.[1]