P/2004 A1 (Loneos) – a comet under transition from Saturn to Jupiter

Abstract The newly discovered periodic comet P/2004 A1 (LONEOS) is found to have experienced a recent capture into its present orbit, following a close approach to Saturn in 1992 to within 0.032 AU. This induced orbital change transfered the comet into an orbit tangent to that of Jupiter, which will, after a close passage in 2026, gain control by further decoupling it from the influence of Saturn. A long‐term orbital investigation yields support that the comet is on its first sojourn into the inner solar system. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)