46P/Wirtanen

46P/Wirtanen
	Wirtanen at perihelion on 12 December 2018
Discovery
Discovered by	Carl A. Wirtanen
Discovery date	January 17, 1948
Designations
Alternative designations	1961 IV; 1960m;; 1967 XIV; 1967k;; 1974 XI; 1974i;; 1986 VI; 1985q;; 1991 XVI; 1991s;; 46P/1948 A1;; 1947 XIII; 1948b;; 46P/1954 R2;; 1954 XI;; 1954j
Orbital characteristics
Epoch	2023-02-25; (JDT 2460000.5)
Aphelion	5.127 AU
Perihelion	1.055 AU
Semi-major axis	3.091 AU
Eccentricity	0.65867
Orbital period	5.43 yr
Inclination	11.749°
Last perihelion	December 12, 2018; July 9, 2013; February 2, 2008
Next perihelion	2024-May-19
Earth MOID	0.071 AU (10,600,000 km)
Physical characteristics
Dimensions	1.4 km (radar)
Synodic rotation period	8.9 hours

Epoch	Perihelion (AU)
Perihelion distance at different epochs^[5]
1967	1.61
1974	1.26
1986	1.08
2013	1.05
2035	1.08
2046	1.22
2059	1.98
2095	2.01

46P/Wirtanen is a small short-period comet with a current orbital period of 5.4 years.^[6]^[7] It was the original target for close investigation by the Rosetta spacecraft, planned by the European Space Agency, but an inability to meet the launch window caused Rosetta to be sent to 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko instead.^[8] It belongs to the Jupiter family of comets, all of which have aphelia between 5 and 6 AU. Its diameter is estimated at 1.4 kilometres (0.9 mi). In December 2019, astronomers reported capturing an outburst of the comet in substantial detail by the TESS space telescope.^[6]^[7]

^ ^a ^b ^c Cite error: The named reference MPC was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Syuichi Nakano (2010-04-09). "46P/Wirtanen (NK 1909)". OAA Computing and Minor Planet Sections. Retrieved 2012-02-18.
^ Cite error: The named reference jpldata was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ ^a ^b "UA Researcher Captures Rare Radar Images of Comet 46P/Wirtanen". 20 December 2018.
^ Cite error: The named reference Kinoshita was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ ^a ^b Goddard Space Flight Center (3 December 2019). "NASA's exoplanet-hunting mission catches a natural comet outburst in unprecedented detail". EurekAlert!. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
^ ^a ^b University of Maryland (3 December 2019). "UMD astronomers catch a natural comet outburst in unprecedented detail - Data from NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) reveal start-to-finish sequence of an outburst from comet 46P/Wirtanen". EurekAlert!. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
^ Ulamec, S.; Espinasse, S.; Feuerbacher, B.; Hilchenbach, M.; Moura, D.; et al. (April 2006). "Rosetta Lander—Philae: Implications of an alternative mission". Acta Astronautica. 58 (8): 435–441. Bibcode:2006AcAau..58..435U. doi:10.1016/j.actaastro.2005.12.009.

[MPC-1] Cite error: The named reference MPC was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[NK2190-2] Syuichi Nakano (2010-04-09). "46P/Wirtanen (NK 1909)". OAA Computing and Minor Planet Sections. Retrieved 2012-02-18.

[jpldata-3] Cite error: The named reference jpldata was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[arizona-4] "UA Researcher Captures Rare Radar Images of Comet 46P/Wirtanen". 20 December 2018.

[Kinoshita-5] Cite error: The named reference Kinoshita was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[NASA-20191203-6] Goddard Space Flight Center (3 December 2019). "NASA's exoplanet-hunting mission catches a natural comet outburst in unprecedented detail". EurekAlert!. Retrieved 3 December 2019.

[UM-20191203-7] University of Maryland (3 December 2019). "UMD astronomers catch a natural comet outburst in unprecedented detail - Data from NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) reveal start-to-finish sequence of an outburst from comet 46P/Wirtanen". EurekAlert!. Retrieved 3 December 2019.

[8] Ulamec, S.; Espinasse, S.; Feuerbacher, B.; Hilchenbach, M.; Moura, D.; et al. (April 2006). "Rosetta Lander—Philae: Implications of an alternative mission". Acta Astronautica. 58 (8): 435–441. Bibcode:2006AcAau..58..435U. doi:10.1016/j.actaastro.2005.12.009.

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