78P/Gehrels

78P/Gehrels
Discovery
Discovered by Tom Gehrels
Discovery date September 29, 1973
Alternative
designations		 1973 XI; 1981 XVII; 1989 XVII
Orbital characteristics A
Epoch March 6, 2006
Aphelion 5.462 AU
Perihelion 2.009 AU
Semi-major axis 3.735 AU
Eccentricity 0.4622
Orbital period 7.22 yr
Inclination 6.2530°
Last perihelion January 12, 2012[1]
October 27, 2004[2][3]
Next perihelion 2019 April 2[4]

78P/Gehrels, also known as Gehrels 2, is a Jupiter-family periodic comet in the Solar System with a current orbital period of 7.22 years.

It was discovered by Tom Gehrels at the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, Arizona, USA on photographic plates exposed between 29 September and 5 October 1973 at the Palomar Observatory. It had a brightess of apparent magnitude of 15. Brian G. Marsden computed the parabolic and elliptical orbits which suggested an orbital period of 8.76 years, later revising the data to give a perihelion date of 30 November 1963 and orbital period of 7.93 years.[5]

The comet's predicted next appearance in 1981 was observed by W. and A. Cochran at the McDonald Observatory, Texas on 8 June 1981. It was observed again in 1989 and in 1997, when favourable conditions meant that brightness increased to magnitude 12. It has subsequently been observed in 2004 and 2012.

Outward migration

Comet 78P/Gehrels' aphelion (furthest distance from the Sun) of 5.4AU[1] is in the zone of control of the giant planet Jupiter and the orbit of the comet is frequently perturbed by Jupiter.[6] On September 15, 2029, the comet will pass within 0.018 AU (2.7 million kilometers) of Jupiter[6] and be strongly perturbed. By the year 2200, the comet will have a centaur-like orbit with a perihelion (closest distance to the Sun) near Jupiter.[7] This outward migration from a perihelion of 2AU to a perihelion of ~5AU could cause the comet to go dormant.

The Outward Migration of Comet 78P/Gehrels
AU2009[1]20302200[7]
Semi-major axis 3.73 6.02 9.37
Perihelion 2.00 4.08 4.99
Aphelion 5.46 7.96 13.7
Comet 78P passing within 0.018 AU of Jupiter in 2029.[6]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 78P/Gehrels 2" (2011-05-21 last obs). Retrieved 2009-05-11.
  2. ↑ Seiichi Yoshida (2006-10-03). "78P/Gehrels 2". Seiichi Yoshida's Comet Catalog. Retrieved 2010-02-24.
  3. ↑ Syuichi Nakano (2009-04-20). "78P/Gehrels 2 (NK 1760)". OAA Computing and Minor Planet Sections. Retrieved 2010-02-24.
  4. ↑ Syuichi Nakano (2011-06-10). "78P/Gehrels 2 (NK 2102)". OAA Computing and Minor Planet Sections. Retrieved 2012-02-18.
  5. ↑ "78P/Gehrels 2". Cometography. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  6. 1 2 3 "JPL Close-Approach Data: 78P/Gehrels 2" (2006-02-26 last obs). Retrieved 2009-05-11.
  7. 1 2 Heider. "Orbital Elements of 78P/Gehrels in 2200". Retrieved 2009-05-11.

External links

Numbered comets
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