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P/2004 A1 (Loneos) – a comet under transition from Saturn to Jupiter
Author(s) -
Hahn G.,
Lagerkvist C.I.,
Karlsson O.,
Oja T.,
Stoss R. M.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
astronomische nachrichten
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.394
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1521-3994
pISSN - 0004-6337
DOI - 10.1002/asna.200510484
Subject(s) - comet , saturn , physics , decoupling (probability) , astrobiology , jupiter (rocket family) , astronomy , planet , spacecraft , engineering , control engineering
The newly discovered periodic comet P/2004 A1 (LONEOS) is found to have experienced a recent capture into its present orbit, following a close approach to Saturn in 1992 to within 0.032 AU. This induced orbital change transfered the comet into an orbit tangent to that of Jupiter, which will, after a close passage in 2026, gain control by further decoupling it from the influence of Saturn. A long‐term orbital investigation yields support that the comet is on its first sojourn into the inner solar system. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)