Comet 41P/Tuttle–Giacobini–Kresák on 2017, 3 March near the galaxy Messier 108 and Owl Nebula.
| |
| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Horace Parnell Tuttle Michel Giacobini Ľubor Kresák |
| Discovery date | May 3, 1858 |
| Designations | |
| 1858 III; 1907 III; 1951 IV; 1962 V; 1973 VI; 1978 XXV; 1990 II | |
| Orbital characteristics | |
| Epoch | March 6, 2006 |
| Aphelion | 5.122 AU |
| Perihelion | 1.048 AU |
| Semi-major axis | 3.085 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.6604 |
| Orbital period | 5.419 a |
| Inclination | 9.2294° |
| Last perihelion | 2022-Sept-12[1] 2017-Apr-12[1] November 12, 2011[2][3] (not observed)[4] June 11, 2006[2][3] |
| Next perihelion | 2028-Feb-15[5] |
| Earth MOID | 0.13 AU (19,000,000 km)[6] |
| Jupiter MOID | 0.48 AU (72,000,000 km)[6] |
41P/Tuttle–Giacobini–Kresák is a periodic comet in the Solar System. The comet nucleus is estimated to be 1.4 kilometers in diameter.[6]
Discovered by Horace Parnell Tuttle on May 3, 1858, and re-discovered independently by Michel Giacobini and Ľubor Kresák in 1907 and 1951 respectively, it is a member of the Jupiter family of comets.
As of June 1, 2006, Comet 41P was a 10th magnitude object for telescopes, located on the Cancer-Leo border, with a predicted maximum of about 10 at perihelion on June 11. This comet is of interest as it has been noted to flare dramatically. In 1973 the flare was 10 magnitudes brighter than predicted, reaching easy naked-eye visibility at apparent magnitude 4.[7] However, by June 22, the comet had diminished to about magnitude 11, having produced no flare of note.
The comet was not observed during the 2011 unfavorable apparition[4] since the perihelion passage occurred when the comet was on the far side of the Sun.
41P was recovered on November 10, 2016, at apparent magnitude 21 by Pan-STARRS.[1] On April 1, 2017, the comet passed 0.142 AU (21,200,000 km; 13,200,000 mi) from the Earth.[8] The comet was expected to brighten to around magnitude 7 and be visible in binoculars.[2][9]
In the 1960s European Space Research Organisation investigated sending a probe to the comet.[10]
| Numbered comets | ||
|---|---|---|
| Previous 40P/Väisälä |
41P/Tuttle–Giacobini–Kresák | Next 42P/Neujmin |
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