226P/Pigott-LINEAR-Kowalski
(0226P)
TRY AGAIN 2030
Type: Periodic
Perihelion date: 27 December 2023
Perihelion distance (q): 1.8
Aphelion distance (Q) : 5.8
Period (years): 7.3
Eccentricity (e): 0.53
Inclination (i): 44.0
JPL orbit diagram
COBS lightcurve
1783 W1 = 2003 A1 = 2009 R2.
LINEAR discovered a 19th mag comet on 5 January 2003. Although parabolic orbital
elements were published, Brian Marsden noted on MPEC 2003-A56 [8 January
2003] that the object was probably of short period, and that its orbit was rather similar
to that of comet D/1783 W1 (Pigott). Further observations, published on MPEC 2003-
A86 confirmed the short period nature of the orbit, with perihelion at 1.91 AU, a high
inclination of 46 degrees and a period of 7.1 years. This was LINEAR's 100th comet.
Orbital calculations by Maik Meyer tended to confirm the identity of the object with
D/1783 W1. Nakano has computed a linked orbit: If the comet has made 33
revolutions from 1783 to 2003, this provides a good linkage between D/1783 W1 and
P/2003 A1. Because the period of the comet is not certain, the number of revolutions
of the comet could be between 37 and 29. Furthermore, in the case of 33 revolutions,
the comet made several close approaches to Jupiter. The closest approach to the
earth during this time was at the appearance of 1783.
An apparently asteroidal LINEAR object discovered on 5 January 2003 with m2 18.4,
posted on the NEO Confirmation Page, was found to be diffuse by CCD observers
elsewhere, including at Haleakala (1.2-m reflector, with K. Lawrence reporting the
object as slightly diffuse on NEAT images taken on 7 January and again somewhat
diffuse on 8 January), at Klet (where M. Tichy found a coma diameter of 8" on images
taken on 8 January with the 1.06-m KLENOT reflector), and at Ondrejov (where P.
Pravec found a faint, small coma that was "marginally apparent", on images taken
close to the moon on 8 January with the 0.65-m f/3.6 reflector). The object is likely of
short period, with the angular orbital elements quite similar to those of D/1783 W1.
Rich Kowalski discovered a very diffuse comet during the Catalina Sky Survey with
the 0.68m Schmidt on 10 September 2009. Dimitry Chestnov linked the object to
comet 2003 A1, although the linked orbit had considerably different orbital elements
(notably T and q) to those predicted for 2003 A1. Brian Marsden notes on IAUC 9072:
"it is meaningless to indicate a Delta(T) value because the prediction is strongly
influenced by a very close approach to Jupiter (nominally 0.0605 AU on 10
September 2006)." He then computed a linked orbit that satisfactorily included
observations of comet Pigott, seen in 1783.
Observations (VEMag = visual equivalent magnitude)
Date
10x10 mag
Error
VEmag
Coma '
05-Oct-16
16.10
0.01
13.7
0.4
28-Oct-16
16.20
0.03
13.8
0.5
23-Nov-16
15.82
0.02
13.6
0.4
19-Dec-16
17.33
0.03
14.5
0.5
27-Dec-16
17.81
0.04
15.5
0.4
04-Jan-17
16.91
0.03
15.3
0.4
15-Feb-17
19.16
0.13
17.3
0.2
07-Dec-23
15.3
0.9
15-Dec-23
14.9
1.5
29-Dec-23
15.4
0.9
09-Jan-24
15.4
0.9
28-Jan-24
16.1
0.6