107P/(4015) Wilson-Harrington

Japanese version
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Updated on May 13, 2024

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* Profile

The orbit almost touches with the earth's orbit at the perihelion. Therefore, it often approaches to the earth.

It is usually fainter than 18 mag. However, when it passes the perihelion in September or October, it comes close to the earth and becomes very bright. It passed only 0.09 A.U. from the earth in 1979 and brightened up to 11-13 mag. After this, it will approaches to the earth in 2039 and 2082 down to 0.1 A.U., then it will be as bright as 1979 and observable in good condition.

The brightness of this object is strongly influenced by the phase angle. When it approaches to the earth, the condition of the phase angle becomes also good, and it becomes very bright. On the other hand, when it does not approach to the earth, the condition of the phase angle becomes also bad, and it remains very faint.

It looks completely asteroidal. A faint tail was detected only in 1949, but no coma was detected. It kept the usual brightness even in 1949 when the tail was observed. No outburst has ever happened on this comet.

Kazuo Kinoshita's calculation revealed no significant change of the orbit for about 200 years from 20th through 21st century.

* Returns and Appearances

!Discovered *Appeared -Not observed #Appeared before discovery +Not observed before discovery .Returns in the future
.
2026 Nov. 25
* 107P/(4015)
2022 Aug. 24
* 107P/(4015)
2018 May 23
* 107P/(4015)
2014 Feb. 5
* 107P/(4015)
2009 Oct. 22
* 107P/(4015)
2005 July 10
* 107P/(4015)
2001 Mar. 26
* 107P/(4015)
1996 Dec. 6
* 107P/(4015)
1992 Aug. 21
* 107P/(4015)
1988 May 7
* 107P/(4015)
1984 Jan. 20
* 107P/(4015) 1979 VA
1979 Oct. 5
-
1975 July 1
-
1971 Mar. 27
-
1966 Dec. 3
-
1962 Aug. 22
-
1958 May 13
-
1954 Jan. 26
! 107P/(4015) 1949 W1
1949 Oct. 8

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The perihelion dates in the past appearances are printed on Catalog of Cometary Orbits 1996.
The perihelion dates of non-observed returns from 1954 to 1975 are calculated using the Minor Planet & Comet Ephemeris Service.
Information on the discovery and historical highlights are available at General Comet Info (Gary W. Kronk).
The past and future orbital elements calculated by Kazuo Kinoshita (http://www9.ocn.ne.jp/~comet/pcmtn/0107p.htm).

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Copyright(C) Seiichi Yoshida (comet@aerith.net). All rights reserved.