EpochPerihelion (AU)
Perihelion distance at different epochs
18002.45
18592.11
18822.04
19051.96
19651.49
20111.38
20231.26
20361.36
20941.21
21061.15

62P/Tsuchinshan, also known as Tsuchinshan 1, is a periodic comet first discovered January 1, 1965 at the Purple Mountain Observatory in Nanjing. It last came to perihelion on 25 December 2023 at around apparent magnitude 8, and was then 0.53 AU (79 million km) from Earth and 110 degrees from the Sun.

During the 2004 perihelion passage the comet brightened to about apparent magnitude 11. The comet was not observed during the 2011 unfavorable apparition since the perihelion passage occurred when the comet was on the far side of the Sun. During the 2023 apparition it brightened to 8th magnitude.

A close approach to Jupiter in 2020 made the comet a near-Earth object with perihelion less than 1.3 AU and the comet will remain a near-Earth object until a close approach to Jupiter in 2031.

On 2049 April 1 the comet will pass about 0.018 AU (2,700,000 km; 1,700,000 mi) from Mars.

62P/Tsuchinshan closest Mars approach on 2049-Apr-01
Date & time of closest approachMars distance (AU)Sun distance (AU)Velocity wrt Mars (km/s)Velocity wrt Sun (km/s)Uncertainty region (3-sigma)Reference
2049-Apr-01 08:41 ± 9 minutes0.0185 AU (2.77 million km; 1.72 million mi; 7.2 LD)1.53 AU (229 million km; 142 million mi)12.130.0± 8 thousand km

See also

Notes

External links

Numbered comets
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