C/2017 U7
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Comet C/2017 U7 was discovered on 29 October 2017 with Pan-STARRS 1 telescope (Haleakala), that is almost 2 years before its perihelion passage. Several prediscovery images of this comet were found: taken by the same survey from 18 August and 13 September 2017. This comet was observed until 3 August 2022 (as on September 2023).
Comet had its closest approach to the Earth on 1 August 2019 (5.493 au), less than 1.5 months before its perihelion passage.
The preferred solution given here is based on data spanning over 4.96 yr in a range of heliocentric distances from 8.14 au – 6.42 au (perihelion) – 9.41 au.
This near-parabolic comet (original semimajor axis around 9,000 au) suffers small planetary perturbations during its passage through the planetary system that likely lead to escape the comet from the planetary zone on a hyperbolic orbit (see future barycentric orbits).
Comet had its closest approach to the Earth on 1 August 2019 (5.493 au), less than 1.5 months before its perihelion passage.
The preferred solution given here is based on data spanning over 4.96 yr in a range of heliocentric distances from 8.14 au – 6.42 au (perihelion) – 9.41 au.
This near-parabolic comet (original semimajor axis around 9,000 au) suffers small planetary perturbations during its passage through the planetary system that likely lead to escape the comet from the planetary zone on a hyperbolic orbit (see future barycentric orbits).
| solution description | ||
|---|---|---|
| number of observations | 89 | |
| data interval | 2017 08 18 – 2018 04 27 | |
| data arc selection | data generally limited to pre-perihelion (PRE) | |
| range of heliocentric distances | 8.14 au – 7.25au | |
| detectability of NG effects in the comet's motion | NG effects not determinable | |
| type of model of motion | GR - gravitational orbit | |
| data weighting | YES | |
| number of residuals | 175 | |
| RMS [arcseconds] | 0.20 | |
| orbit quality class | 1b | |
| previous orbit statistics, both Galactic and stellar perturbations were taken into account | ||
|---|---|---|
| no. of returning VCs in the swarm | 5001 | * |
| no. of escaping VCs in the swarm | 0 | |
| no. of hyperbolas among escaping VCs in the swarm | 0 | |
| previous reciprocal semi-major axis [10-6 au-1] | 120.36 – 124.84 – 129.44 | |
| previous perihelion distance [au] | 6.167 – 6.198 – 6.225 | |
| previous aphelion distance [103 au] | 15.4 – 16 – 16.6 | |
| time interval to previous perihelion [Myr] | 0.678 – 0.716 – 0.756 | |
| percentage of VCs with qprev < 10 | 100 | |
| previous orbit statistics, here only the Galactic tide has been included | ||
|---|---|---|
| no. of returning VCs in the swarm | 5001 | * |
| no. of escaping VCs in the swarm | 0 | |
| no. of hyperbolas among escaping VCs in the swarm | 0 | |
| previous reciprocal semi-major axis [10-6 au-1] | 120.36 – 124.84 – 129.44 | |
| previous perihelion distance [au] | 6.172 – 6.2 – 6.225 | |
| previous aphelion distance [103 au] | 15.4 – 16 – 16.6 | |
| time interval to previous perihelion [Myr] | 0.678 – 0.716 – 0.756 | |
| percentage of VCs with qprev < 10 | 100 | |