226P/Pigott-LINEAR-Kowalski Epoch 2009 May 9.0 TT = JDT 2454960.5 T 2009 May 11.2261 TT MPC q 1.769111 (2000.0) P Q n 0.1350093 Peri. 340.9481 +0.7446999 -0.3588146 a 3.763226 Node 54.0711 +0.6661056 +0.3471193 e 0.529895 Incl. 44.0238 +0.0415378 +0.8664642 P 7.30
A new comet was discovered on the 10th September, 2009, by Richard A. Kowalski (Catalina Sky Survey). The comet was found by Dimitry Chestnow to have the same orbital elements as comet P/2003 A1 (LINEAR) discovered on January 5, 2003, and with a similar orbit as comet D/1783 W1 (Pigott) which was presumed lost. Comet D/1783 W1 (Pigott) had been discovered in the constellation of Cetus by Edouard Pigott on the 19th November, 1783; this comet was independently found by Pierre Méchain on November 26 and observed by several astronomers including Charles Messier. The orbital elements of the comet p/2009 R2 (Pigott-LINEAR-Kowalski), indicating a perihelion passage on the 11th May, 2009, at a distance of 1.77 AU from the Sun, and a 7.30 year orbital period. Ephemeris
Orbital elements: P/2003 A1 = 2009 R2 Epoch 2009 May 9.0 TT = JDT 2454960.5 T 2009 May 11.22308 TT MPC q 1.7691249 (2000.0) P Q n 0.13500853 Peri. 340.94750 +0.74470417 -0.35881004 a 3.7632400 Node 54.07108 +0.66610130 +0.34712888 e 0.5298932 Incl. 44.02350 +0.04153018 +0.86646229 P 7.30