8P / Tuttle
| 8P / Tuttle [i] | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Properties of the orbit ( animation ) | |
| Orbit type | short-term |
| Numerical eccentricity | 0.819 |
| Perihelion | 1.027 AU |
| Aphelion | 10,373 AU |
| Major semi-axis | 5,699 AU |
| Sidereal period | 13 a 225 d |
| Inclination of the orbit plane | 54.983 ° ° |
| Perihelion | January 27, 2008 |
| Physical properties of the core | |
| Medium diameter | 15.6 km |
| history | |
| Explorer | Pierre FA Méchain |
| Date of discovery | January 9, 1790 |
| Older name | 1790 II, 1858 I 1873 III, 1873d, 1885 IV, 1885b, 1899 III, 1899b, 1912 IV, 1912b, 1926 IV, 1926a, 1939 X, 1939k, 1967 V, 1967a, 1980 XIII, 1980h, 1994 XV, 1992r |
| Source: Unless otherwise stated, the data comes from JPL Small-Body Database Browser . Please also note the note on comet articles . | |
8P / Tuttle is a periodic comet of the Jupiter family . The comet's orbit runs between Earth and Saturn with an orbital period of 13.61 years. With the help of radio wave observations, the rotation period of the comet's nucleus could be determined in early 2008. After that, the core rotates on itself in 7.5 hours.
Discovery story
Horace Parnell Tuttle discovered this comet on January 5, 1858 . Subsequent orbital calculations showed that it was identical to a tail star observed by Mechain in 1790 ; the period of rotation is almost 14 years. With the exception of 1953 , it has been observed every time it returned since 1871 . It was never visible to the naked eye; the greatest brightness observed so far was 6.5 mag in 1980 . 8P / Tuttle is the cause of the Ursid meteor shower , which is active around December 21st every year.
Return of the comet in 2007/2008
At the turn of the year 2007/2008, 8P / Tuttle could be observed with the naked eye for the first time for a short time, as it then came closer to the earth than in its previously observed phenomena. On the occasion of its current return, 8P / Tuttle has been regularly observed by some experts since mid-July 2007. In the middle of November 2007 its brightness was about 11 mag, around December 20 7.5 mag, on December 27, 2007 about 6.5 mag. That day the first sighting with the naked eye was reported.
See also
swell
- ↑ 8P / Tuttle in the Small-Body Database of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (English).
- ↑ Stars and Space, May 2008, p. 23.
- ^ Gary W. Kronk : 8P / Tuttle
