266P/Christensen

266P/Christensen is a periodic comet in the Solar System. It will next come to perihelion in December 2026. It has been suggested as the source of the 1977 "Wow! Signal".[3]

266P/Christensen
Discovery
Discovered byEric J. Christensen
Discovery dateOctober 27, 2006
Designations
2006 U5
Orbital characteristics
Epoch2020-04-21.0
Aphelion4.736 AU
Perihelion2.335 AU
Semi-major axis3.535 AU
Eccentricity0.339
Orbital period6.65 a
Inclination3.426°
Last perihelion2020-04-19[1][2]
2013-08-31
Next perihelion2026-Dec-07 (JPL Horizons last obs 2020-04-16)

References

  1. "266P/Christensen Orbit". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 2017-06-08.
  2. Syuichi Nakano (2014-02-27). "266P/Christensen (NK 2619)". OAA Computing and Minor Planet Sections. Retrieved 2017-06-08.
  3. Paris, Antonio (Winter 2015). "Hydrogen Clouds from Comets 266/P Christensen and P/2008 Y2 (Gibbs) are Candidates for the Source of the 1977 "WOW" Signal" (PDF). Washington Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 7 June 2017.


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