509P/Catalina (0509P)

Type: Periodic Perihelion date: 19 March 2026 Perihelion distance (q): 3.7 Aphelion distance (Q) : 10.4 Period (years): 18.7 Eccentricity (e): 0.48 Inclination (i): 8.6 JPL orbit diagram COBS lightcurve Atlas 509P/Catalina = 2007 C2 = 2024 T6 A 19th magnitude asteroidal object discovered by the Catalina Sky Survey on 9 February 2007 was been found to show cometary characteristics by several observers. There were manyprediscovery observations, the oldest by the Catalina Sky Survey in October 2006. An encounter with Jupiter at 1.3 au in 2027 will reduce the period to 18.1 years. Observations (VEMag = visual equivalent magnitude) Date 10x10 mag Error VEmag Coma ' 10-Dec-25 18.6 0.2 16-Dec-25 18.9 0.2 21-Dec-25 18.7 0.2 26-Dec-25 18.8 0.2