65P/Gunn is a periodic comet in the Solar System which has a current orbital period of 6.79 years. The comet is a short-period comet, orbiting the Sun every 6.79 years inside the main asteroid belt between the orbits of the planets Mars and Jupiter.[3]

65P/Gunn
Discovery
Discovered byJames E. Gunn
Discovery dateOctober 17, 1970
Designations
1969 II; 1976 III; 1982 X;
1989 XI;
Orbital characteristics
EpochMarch 6, 2006
Aphelion4.737 AU
Perihelion2.444 AU
Semi-major axis3.59 AU
Eccentricity0.3194
Orbital period6.803 a
Inclination10.3867°
Last perihelionOctober 16, 2017[1]
March 2, 2010
May 11, 2003
Next perihelion2025-Jun-16[2]

It was discovered on 11 October 1970 by Professor James E. Gunn of Princeton University using the 122-cm Schmidt telescope at the Palomar Observatory. It had a low brightness of magnitude 16 plus which improves to 12 under favourable conditions. In 1972 Elizabeth Roemer managed to observe 65P/Gunn close to aphelion.[4]

On 4 February 1970 the comet passed 0.015 AU (2,200,000 km; 1,400,000 mi) from Ceres.[5]

In 1980 was noticed that a 19th magnitude comet found in plates obtained by Palomar Observatory on 8 August 1954[6] was a previous apparition of 65/Gunn. The link was confirmed by Brian G. Marsden.[7]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Syuichi Nakano (2010-06-19). "65P/Gunn (NK 1941)". OAA Computing and Minor Planet Sections. Retrieved 2012-02-18.
  2. ^ MPC
  3. ^ "WISE Catches Comet 65P/Gunn". Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
  4. ^ Marsden, B.G (December 1973). "Comets in 1972". Quarterly Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society. 14: 390–391. Bibcode:1973QJRAS..14..389M. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  5. ^ "JPL Close-Approach Data: 65P/Gunn" (2012-1-25 last obs). Retrieved 2012-02-23.
  6. ^ Green, Daniel (17 November 1980). "IAUC 3540: AG Dra; COMET ON PSS; (1865); 1980h". www.cbat.eps.harvard.edu. International Astronomical Union Circular. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  7. ^ Marsden, Brian (31 March 1981). "IAUC 3588: P/GUNN; 1981 CW". International Astronomical Union Circular. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
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Numbered comets
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64P/Swift–Gehrels
65P/Gunn Next
66P/du Toit