[Outbackmanyep]

Originally Posted by jjjnettie

I wonder, if 17P Holmes has in fact been in a collision, has it been nudged into an orbit that will make it a Sun grazer and give us an even more spectacular display?
It's was a short period comet before the collision, will it still be one now?

If it has been involved in a collision it must have hit a massive speed bump!
Non-gravitational effects will surely alter its orbit but how much won't be noticed until further astrometry is made, i doubt it could end up a sungrazer though as its orbit is low in eccentricity and has a perihelion distance of 2.1 AU, its period is 6.88 years.
Time will tell though, if its orbit has changed it may affect the perihelion date for its next return.....

Maybe Loomberah (Gordon) could elaborate on this further!?

Cheers!