Abstract
THIS object was discovered by Herr K. Reinmuth at Konigstuhl on Oct. 28d 22h 27·6m U.T., near o Piscium. Its magnitude was estimated to be 10, but 24 hours later the magnitude was 8, an indication of rapid approach to the earth. As it moved nearly one hour in R.A. in this time, it was obviously fairly close to the earth. Herr Schewick at Sonneberg found images of it on four plates, from October 26 to 29, and orbits were computed from the results. Unfortunately, the short interval rendered the determination of the period very uncertain, and this was found to range between 1·1 and about 4 years. The other elements were computed with as close agreement as could be expected from the data, and the various orbits indicated a small inclination to the plane of the ecliptic—about 6°. On October 31 it made its closest approach to the earth, passing within 400,000 miles—the nearest approach of any minor planet. It reached perihelion about the middle of December, its distance from the sun being then 0-6 unit, that is, 56,000,000 miles. At present it is nearly 1 unit from the sun and about 1"5 units from the earth.
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The Reinmuth Earth-grazing Planet, 1937 UB. Nature 141, 113–114 (1938). https://doi.org/10.1038/141113d0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/141113d0