Giacobini Zinner

Giacobini Zinner

(jak-ŏ-bee -nee tsin-er) (1900 III) A short-period (6.6-year) comet with perihelion near 1 AU and aphelion near 6 AU, discovered in 1900 by M. Giacobini and rediscovered in 1913 by E. Zinner. It has been seen 14 times since discovery, every other apparition leading to a good view from Earth. Ground-based viewing in 1985 was excellent. The International-Sun-Earth-Explorer satellite (ISEE–3) was reorbited so that it intercepted the comet on Sept. 11, 1985 when it was near perihelion. The interaction between the comet and the solar wind was investigated. See also Giacobinids.