| Discovery[1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Tom Gehrels |
| Discovery site | Palomar Observatory |
| Discovery date | 27 October 1975 |
| Designations | |
| P/1975 U1 P/1984 P1 | |
| |
| Orbital characteristics[5][6] | |
| Epoch | 25 February 2023 (JD 2460000.5) |
| Observation arc | 44.56 years |
| Number of observations | 149 |
| Aphelion | 4.638 AU |
| Perihelion | 3.629 AU |
| Semi-major axis | 4.133 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.12207 |
| Orbital period | 8.403 years |
| Inclination | 1.1259° |
| 239.25° | |
| Argument of periapsis | 226.43° |
| Mean anomaly | 200.37° |
| Last perihelion | 28 June 2018[2][3] |
| Next perihelion | 14 November 2026[4] |
| TJupiter | 3.027 |
| EarthMOID | 2.643 AU |
| JupiterMOID | 0.517 AU |
| Physical characteristics[7] | |
| Dimensions | 1.46 km (0.91 mi) |
| Comet total magnitude (M1) | 7.6 |
| Comet nuclear magnitude (M2) | 16.4 |
82P/Gehrels is aperiodiccomet that was discovered on 27 October 1975, byTom Gehrels at thePalomar Mountain Observatory inCalifornia having a faint nuclear brightness of magnitude 17.[5]
Calculations based on the early sightings gave an estimated perihelion of 23 April 1975 and an orbital period of 8.11 years. It was observed by J. Gibson on its next predicted apparition in 1984, using the 122-cm Schmidt at Palomar, when he estimated the nuclear brightness at a very faint magnitude 20. It has since been observed in 1993, 2001 and 2010.[8]
The object has been identified as aquasi-Hilda comet, which means it is near a 3:2mean-motion resonance with the planetJupiter.[9] It fits the definition of an Encke-type comet with (TJupiter > 3;a < aJupiter).[5] It has an estimated diameter of 1.46 km (0.91 mi).[7]
On 15 August 1970 the comet passed 0.00143 AU (214,000 km; 133,000 mi) from Jupiter.[5]
| Numbered comets | ||
|---|---|---|
| Previous 81P/Wild | 82P/Gehrels | Next 83D/Russell |
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