233P/La Sagra (0233P)

Type: Periodic Perihelion date: 8 January 2026 Perihelion distance (q): 1.8 Aphelion distance (Q) : 4.3 Period (years): 5.3 Eccentricity (e): 0.41 Inclination (i): 11.3 JPL orbit diagram COBS lightcurve Atlas 233P/La Sagra = 2005 JR71 = 2009 WJ50 WISE satellite images taken on 6 February 2010 showed that an apparently asteroidal object discovered by the La Sagra Sky Survey on 19 November 2009 showed a cometary appearance. Ground based confirming images taken by Spacewatch on 13 February and the McDonald Observatory on 15 February confirmed a small faint coma. The comet was then identified with asteroid 2005 JR71 by Gareth Williams. Observations (VEMag = visual equivalent magnitude) Date 10x10 mag Error VEmag Coma ' 26-Dec-25 19.9 0.1 27-Dec-25 19.7 0.2