P/1999 J6 (SOHO)

P/1999 J6 (SOHO) is a small comet, notable for being among those that made a close approach to the Earth.^[2][3][4][5] It was first observed by the space-based Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) on 10 May 1995.^[6][7] It is next expected to come to perihelion (closest approach to the Sun) in June 2026 at 0.044 AU (6.6 million km).^[1]

P/1999 J6 (SOHO)

Discovery
Discovered by	SOHO Mike Oates
Discovery date	May 10, 1995 first observed only
Designations
MPC designation	C/1999 J6 C/2004 V9 C/2010 H3
Alternative designations	SOHO 5
Orbital characteristics
Epoch	2007-Jan-19
Observation arc	10.95 Years
Number of observations	267
Aphelion	6.15 AU
Perihelion	0.049 AU
Semi-major axis	3.10 AU
Eccentricity	0.984
Orbital period	5.46 years
Max. orbital speed	200 km/s (2026)[a]
Inclination	26.6
Next perihelion	2026-Jun-18?[1]
TJupiter	1.923
Earth MOID	0.0099 AU (1,480,000 km; 3.9 LD)

The most notable Earth approach was on June 12, 1999 when it passed between 357,000 km (222,000 mi) to 3.3 million kilometres (2,100,000 mi) from Earth.^[3] The uncertainty is a result of the large number of observations at roughly the same time as there were around 50 observations on April 19, 2010. The discovery was made on March 20, 2000, during a review of previously captured images.^[8]

It next came to perihelion in November 2004, when it was known as "C/2004 V9",^[9] and then on April 19, 2010 when it was known as "C/2010 H3".^[10][11] On August 15, 2015 it should have been 0.56 AU from Earth.^[12]

See also

• 55P/Tempel–Tuttle
• 109P/Swift–Tuttle
• 460P/PANSTARRS
• D/1770 L1 (Lexell)
• C/1983 H1 (IRAS–Araki–Alcock)

Notes

1. v = 42.1219 √1/r − 0.5/a, where r is the distance from the Sun, and a is the major semi-axis.