78P/Gehrels

Last updated
78P/Gehrels
78P 2019-01-27 image ZTF-sso-446-zr-fov-5.6arcmin.png
Discovery
Discovered by Tom Gehrels
Discovery dateSeptember 29, 1973
Designations
1973 XI; 1981 XVII; 1989 XVII
Orbital characteristics
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 perihelionApril 2, 2019 [1] [2]
January 12, 2012 [3]
October 27, 2004 [1] [4]
Next perihelion2026-06-25 [5]

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.

Contents

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 brightness 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. [6]

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. [6] It has subsequently been observed in 2004 when it reached magnitude 10, 2012, and 2018. [1]

Outward migration

Comet 78P/Gehrels' aphelion (furthest distance from the Sun) of 5.4AU [3] is in the zone of control of the gas giant Jupiter and the orbit of the comet is frequently perturbed by Jupiter. [7] On September 15, 2029, the comet will pass within 0.018 AU (2.7 million kilometers) of Jupiter [7] 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. [8] This outward migration from a perihelion of 2AU to a perihelion of ~5AU could cause the comet to go dormant.

The Outward Migration of 78P/Gehrels
Year (epoch)2009 [3] 20302200 [8]
Semi-major axis 3.736.029.37
Perihelion 2.004.084.99
Aphelion5.467.9613.7
Comet 78P passing within 0.018 AU of Jupiter in 2029. Comet78P2029.png
Comet 78P passing within 0.018  AU of Jupiter in 2029.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">4P/Faye</span> Periodic comet with 7 year orbit

Comet 4P/Faye is a periodic Jupiter-family comet discovered in November 1843 by Hervé Faye at the Royal Observatory in Paris. Its most recent perihelia were on November 15, 2006; May 29, 2014; and September 8, 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">41P/Tuttle–Giacobini–Kresák</span> Periodic comet with 5 year orbit

41P/Tuttle–Giacobini–Kresák is a periodic comet in the Solar System. The comet nucleus is estimated to be 1.4 kilometers in diameter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">48P/Johnson</span> Periodic comet with 7 year orbit

48P/Johnson is a periodic comet in the Solar System.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">49P/Arend–Rigaux</span> Periodic comet with 6 year orbit

49P/Arend–Rigaux is a periodic comet in the Solar System.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">52P/Harrington–Abell</span> Periodic comet with 7 year orbit

52P/Harrington–Abell is a periodic comet in the Solar System.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">60P/Tsuchinshan</span> Periodic comet with 6 year orbit

60P/Tsuchinshan, also known as Tsuchinshan 2, is a periodic comet in the Solar System with an orbital period of 6.79 years. Tsuchinshan is the Wade-Giles transliteration corresponding to the pinyin Zǐjīn Shān 紫金山, which is Mandarin Chinese for "Purple Mountain".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">74P/Smirnova–Chernykh</span> Periodic comet with 8 year orbit

74P/Smirnova–Chernykh is a periodic comet in the Solar System. It fits the definition of an Encke-type comet with, and is a Quasi-Hilda comet. It was discovered in late March 1975 by Tamara Mikhajlovna Smirnova while examining exposures from the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory. In the discovery images the comet had an apparent magnitude of ~15. In the year of discovery, the comet came to perihelion on August 6, 1975.

98P/Takamizawa is a periodic comet in the Solar System.

111P/Helin–Roman–Crockett is a periodic comet in the Solar System. It was discovered by Eleanor and Ron Helin, Brian Roman and Randy Crockett on 5 January 1989 from images obtained on the 3rd and 4th of that month. It is a Jupiter family comet known for extremely close approaches to Jupiter being a Quasi-Hilda comet. During these approaches, it actually orbits Jupiter. The last such approach was in 1976, the next will be in 2071. The Jovian orbits are highly elliptical and subject to intense Solar perturbation at apojove which eventually pulls the comet out of Jovian orbit for the cycle to begin anew.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">119P/Parker–Hartley</span> Periodic comet with 8 year orbit

119P/Parker–Hartley is a periodic comet in the Solar System.

120P/Mueller, also known as Mueller 1, is a periodic comet in the Solar System. It last came to perihelion in May 2021 and underwent a 1.4 magnitude outburst in August 2021,.

138P/Shoemaker–Levy, also known as Shoemaker–Levy 7, is a faint periodic comet in the Solar System. The comet last came to perihelion on 11 June 2012, but only brightened to about apparent magnitude 20.5.

152P/Helin–Lawrence is a periodic comet in the Solar System.

158P/Kowal–LINEAR is a periodic comet in the Solar System that has an orbit out by Jupiter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">171P/Spahr</span> Periodic comet with 6 year orbit

171P/Spahr is a periodic comet in the Solar System. 171P/Spahr was recovered on 20–24 October 2011 at apparent magnitude 20.6 using the 2.0-metre (79 in) Faulkes Telescope South. 171P/Spahr is peaked at about magnitude 18 in 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">118P/Shoemaker–Levy</span> Periodic comet with 6 year orbit

118P/Shoemaker–Levy is a comet discovered by astronomers Carolyn and Eugene M. Shoemaker and David Levy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">22P/Kopff</span> Periodic comet with 6 year orbit

Comet Kopff or 22P/Kopff is a periodic comet in the Solar System. Discovered on August 23, 1906, it was named after August Kopff who discovered the comet. The comet was missed on its November 1912 return, but was recovered on its June 1919 return and has been seen at every apparition since. Close approaches to Jupiter in 1938 and 1943 decreased the perihelion distance and orbital period. 22P/Kopff’s last perihelion passage was 18 March 2022. On 13 July 2028 it will pass 0.353 AU (52.8 million km) from Earth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">30P/Reinmuth</span> Periodic comet with 7 year orbit

Comet 30P/Reinmuth, also known as Comet Reinmuth 1, is a periodic comet in the Solar System, first discovered by Karl Reinmuth on February 22, 1928.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">144P/Kushida</span> Periodic comet with 7 year orbit

144P/Kushida is a periodic comet discovered in January, 1994, by Yoshio Kushida at the Yatsugatake South Base Observatory in Japan. This was the first comet discovery of 1994 and his second discovery within a month. It last came to perihelion on 25 January 2024, and brightened to about magnitude 10.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">62P/Tsuchinshan</span> Periodic comet with 6 year orbit

62P/Tsuchinshan, also known as Tsuchinshan 1, is a periodic comet first discovered January 1, 1965 at the Purple Mountain Observatory in Nanking. It last came to perihelion on 25 December 2023 at around apparent magnitude 8, and was then 0.53 AU (79 million km) from Earth and 110 degrees from the Sun.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Seiichi Yoshida (2006-10-03). "78P/Gehrels 2". Seiichi Yoshida's Comet Catalog. Retrieved 2010-02-24.
  2. ↑ Syuichi Nakano (2011-06-10). "78P/Gehrels 2 (NK 2102)". OAA Computing and Minor Planet Sections. Retrieved 2012-02-18.
  3. 1 2 3 "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 78P/Gehrels 2" (2011-05-21 last obs). Retrieved 2009-05-11.
  4. ↑ Syuichi Nakano (2009-04-20). "78P/Gehrels 2 (NK 1760)". OAA Computing and Minor Planet Sections. Retrieved 2010-02-24.
  5. ↑ "78P/Gehrels Orbit". Minor Planet Center . Retrieved 2020-06-29.
  6. 1 2 Kronk, Gary W. "78P/Gehrels 2". Cometography. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  7. 1 2 3 "JPL Close-Approach Data: 78P/Gehrels 2" (2006-02-26 last obs). Retrieved 2009-05-11.
  8. 1 2 Heider. "Orbital Elements of 78P/Gehrels in 2200". Archived from the original on 2015-06-06. Retrieved 2009-05-11.
Numbered comets
Previous
77P/Longmore 		78P/GehrelsNext
79P/du Toit–Hartley
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.