15P/Finlay

Last updated
15P/Finlay
Comet Finlay in 1960 by the US Naval Observatory.jpg
Discovery
Discovered by William Henry Finlay
Discovery dateSeptember 26, 1886
Designations
1886 S1; 1886 VII;
1886e; 1893 K1;
1893 III; 1893a;
1906 V; 1906d;
1919 II; 1919d;
1926 V; 1926d;
1953 VII; 1953i;
1960 VIII; 1960d;
1967 IX; 1967g;
1974 X; 1974d;
1981 XII; 1981e;
1988 IX; 1988f
Orbital characteristics
Epoch 2014-Dec-09
(JD 2457000.5)
Aphelion 6.019 AU
Perihelion 0.976 AU
Semi-major axis 3.488 AU
Eccentricity 0.7202
Orbital period 6.51 a
Inclination 6.799°
Last perihelionJuly 13, 2021 [1]
December 27, 2014 [1] [2]
June 22, 2008
Next perihelion2028-Feb-09 [3]
2034-Sep-08
2041-Apr-03
2047-Oct-25
2054-May-02
2060-Oct-03 [4]
Earth MOID 0.009 AU (1.3 million km) [5]
Jupiter MOID 0.16 AU (24 million km) [5]
Physical characteristics
Dimensions 1.8 km (uncertain) [6]

Comet Finlay is a periodic comet with an orbital period of 6 years discovered by William Henry Finlay (Royal Observatory, Cape of Good Hope, South Africa) on September 26, 1886. The next perihelion passage is July 13, 2021 when the comet will have a solar elongation of 54 degrees at approximately apparent magnitude 10. [7] It last came to perihelion on December 27, 2014, [2] at around magnitude 10. [7] Of the numbered periodic comets, the orbit of 15P/Finlay has one of the smallest minimum orbit intersection distances with the orbit of Earth (E-MOID). [8] In October 2060 the comet will pass about 5 million km from Earth.

Contents

Description

Perihelion distance
at different epochs [1]
Epoch Perihelion
(AU)
18661.0
19060.96
19191.0
19811.1
20080.97
20210.99
20281.0 [3]

When the first orbit calculations were made in 1886, there was a similarity between this orbit and that of Francesco de Vico's lost periodic comet of 1844 (54P/de Vico-Swift-NEAT). Lewis Boss (Dudley Observatory, Schenectady, United States) noted large discrepancies between the orbits and after further observations concluded that de Vico's comet could not be the same as Finlay's. [9]

During the 1906 apparition the comet brightened to magnitude 6. In 1910 a close pass with Jupiter increased the orbital period, in 1919 the path was off predictions and a new comet discovered by Sasaki (Kyoto Observatory, Japan) on October 25, 1919, was discovered to be Finlay's.

The magnitude of the comet declined after 1926, and it was not until 1953 that it has been observed on every return.

2014–2015

During the 2014 perihelion passage the comet outburst on 16 December 2014 from magnitude 11 to magnitude 9 becoming bright enough to be seen in common binoculars with a 50 mm objective lens. [10] On December 23, 2014, 15P and Mars were only 1/6 of a degree apart in the sky after sunset. [10] But by December 23, 2014, the comet had dimmed considerably since the outburst. On 16 January 2015, the comet outburst to magnitude 8. [11]

2060

15P/Finlay currently has an Earth-MOID of 0.009  AU (1,300,000  km ; 840,000  mi ). [5] The comet will come to perihelion six more times and then on October 22, 2060, the comet will pass roughly 0.0334 AU (5.00 million km; 3.10 million mi) from Earth with an uncertainty region of about ±2300 km. [5] [12] This will be one of the closest comet approaches to Earth. [13]

Arids meteor shower

Debris ejected during the 1995 perihelion passage generated a meteor shower on 29–30 September 2021 radiating from the southern constellation of Ara. [14] More outbursts are expected on 7 October 2021 from the 2008 and 2014 streams.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">4P/Faye</span> Periodic comet with 7 year orbit

Comet 4P/Faye is a periodic Jupiter-family comet discovered in November 1843 by Hervé Faye at the Royal Observatory in Paris. Its most recent perihelia were on November 15, 2006; May 29, 2014; and September 8, 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">28P/Neujmin</span> Periodic comet with 18 year orbit

28P/Neujmin, also known as Neujmin 1, is a large periodic comet in the Solar System. With a perihelion distance of 1.5AU, this comet does not make close approaches to the Earth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">41P/Tuttle–Giacobini–Kresák</span> Periodic comet with 5 year orbit

41P/Tuttle–Giacobini–Kresák is a periodic comet in the Solar System. The comet nucleus is estimated to be 1.4 kilometers in diameter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">52P/Harrington–Abell</span> Periodic comet with 7 year orbit

52P/Harrington–Abell is a periodic comet in the Solar System.

99P/Kowal, also known as Kowal 1, is a periodic comet in the Solar System that orbits out by Jupiter and has a 15 year orbital period. It has been observed regularly since 2019. It came to perihelion in April 2022 and will again in May 2037.

120P/Mueller, also known as Mueller 1, is a periodic comet in the Solar System. It last came to perihelion in May 2021 and underwent a 1.4 magnitude outburst in August 2021,.

152P/Helin–Lawrence is a periodic comet in the Solar System.

158P/Kowal–LINEAR is a periodic comet in the Solar System that has an orbit out by Jupiter.

159P/LONEOS is a periodic comet in the Solar System.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">7P/Pons–Winnecke</span> Periodic comet with 6-year orbit

7P/Pons–Winnecke is a periodic Jupiter-family comet with a six-year orbit. Early calculations for the 1921 apparition suggested that the orbit of the comet might collide with Earth in June, but observations on 10 April ruled out an impact. It made a very close approach to Earth in June 1927. The outward migration of perihelion created impressive meteor showers in 1916, 1921 and 1927.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">11P/Tempel–Swift–LINEAR</span> Periodic comet with 6 year orbit

11P/Tempel–Swift–LINEAR is a periodic Jupiter-family comet in the Solar System.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">13P/Olbers</span> Periodic comet with 70 year orbit

13P/Olbers is a periodic comet with an orbital period of 69 years. It fits the classical definition of a Halley-type comet with. The comet had last been seen in 1956 and the next perihelion is on 30 June 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">22P/Kopff</span> Periodic comet with 6 year orbit

Comet Kopff or 22P/Kopff is a periodic comet in the Solar System. Discovered on August 23, 1906, it was named after August Kopff who discovered the comet. The comet was missed on its November 1912 return, but was recovered on its June 1919 return and has been seen at every apparition since. Close approaches to Jupiter in 1938 and 1943 decreased the perihelion distance and orbital period. 22P/Kopff’s last perihelion passage was 18 March 2022. On 13 July 2028 it will pass 0.353 AU (52.8 million km) from Earth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">54P/de Vico–Swift–NEAT</span> Periodic comet with 7 year orbit

54P/de Vico–Swift–NEAT is a periodic comet in the Solar System first discovered by Father Francesco de Vico on August 23, 1844. It has become a lost comet several times after its discovery. The comet makes many close approaches to Jupiter. The comet was last observed on 20 December 2009 by Ageo Observatory.

Comet Crommelin, also known as Comet Pons-Coggia-Winnecke-Forbes, is a periodic comet with an orbital period of almost 28 years. It fits the classical definition of a Halley-type comet with. It is named after the British astronomer Andrew C. D. Crommelin who calculated its orbit in 1930. It is one of only four comets not named after their discoverer(s), the other three being Comets Halley, Encke, and Lexell. It next comes to perihelion around May 27, 2039 when it will be near a maximum near-perihelion distance from Earth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">62P/Tsuchinshan</span> Periodic comet with 6 year orbit

62P/Tsuchinshan, also known as Tsuchinshan 1, is a periodic comet discovered on 1965 January 1 at Purple Mountain Observatory, Nanking. It will next come to perihelion on 25 December 2023 at around apparent magnitude 8, and will be 0.53 AU (79 million km) from Earth and 110 degrees from the Sun.

51P/Harrington is a periodic comet in the Solar System.

72P/Denning–Fujikawa is a periodic comet discovered on 4 October 1881 by William Frederick Denning. The comet was not seen at another apparition until recovered by Shigehisa Fujikawa in 1978. From 29 December 1978 until 17 June 2014, the comet was lost. On 17 June 2014 the comet was recovered by Hidetaka Sato at apparent magnitude 16 when it was 50 degrees from the Sun. The comet came to perihelion in June 2023, and will next come to perihelion in May 2032.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">66P/du Toit</span> Periodic comet with 15 year orbit

66P/du Toit is a periodic comet in the Solar System with a current orbital period of 14.78 years. It came to perihelion on 2018 May 19 at roughly apparent magnitude 12.

79P/du Toit–Hartley or du Toit 2 is a periodic comet, now divided into two parts, in the Solar System with an orbital period of 5.06 years. It next comes to perihelion in September 2023 but is only expected to reach about apparent magnitude 18. It will be less than 90 degrees from the Sun from February 2023 until June 2024. On 26 May 2024 it will be 2.7 AU from the Sun and Earth.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "15P/Finlay Orbit". Minor Planet Center . Retrieved 2014-06-21.
  2. 1 2 Syuichi Nakano (2011-11-05). "15P/Finlay (NK 2161)". OAA Computing and Minor Planet Sections. Retrieved 2012-02-18.
  3. 1 2 "Horizons Batch for 15P/Finlay (90000257) on 2028-Feb-09" (Perihelion occurs when rdot flips from negative to positive). JPL Horizons . Retrieved 2022-06-16. (JPL#K213/16 Soln.date: 2022-Mar-09)
  4. ↑ "Horizons Batch for 15P/Finlay (90000257) on 2060-Oct-03" (Perihelion occurs when rdot flips from negative to positive). JPL Horizons . Retrieved 2022-06-16. (JPL#K213/16 Soln.date: 2022-Mar-09)
  5. 1 2 3 4 "JPL Close-Approach Data: 15P/Finlay" (last observation: 2022-03-03). Archived from the original on 2017-02-20. Retrieved 2022-06-16.
  6. ↑ M. Festou; H. U. Keller; Harold A. Weaver (2004). Comets II. University of Arizona Press. p. 242. ISBN   978-0-8165-2450-1.
  7. 1 2 Seiichi Yoshida (2016-06-11). "15P/Finlay". Seiichi Yoshida's Comet Catalog. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  8. ↑ "JPL Small-Body Database Search Engine: numbered comets". JPL Solar System Dynamics. Retrieved 2020-07-27.
  9. ↑ Kronk, Gary W. "15P/Finlay". Cometography. Retrieved 2007-01-31.
  10. 1 2 Bob King (2014-12-18). "Comet Finlay in Bright Outburst, Visible in Small Telescopes". Universe Today . Retrieved 2014-12-20.
  11. ↑ Michael Mattiazzo. "24324Re: [comets-ml] Re: Possible another outburst of 15P/Finlay?". Yahoo: comet-ml. Archived from the original on January 19, 2015. Retrieved 2015-01-17.
  12. ↑ "Horizons Batch for 2060-Oct-22 Earth approach". JPL Horizons. Archived from the original on 2022-06-16. Retrieved 2022-06-16.
  13. ↑ Comet Close Approaches to the Earth
  14. ↑ "Electronic Telegram No. 5046 : ARID METEORS 2021". Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams. Retrieved 2021-10-01.
Numbered comets
Previous
14P/Wolf 		15P/FinlayNext
16P/Brooks
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.