 Comet 41P/Tuttle–Giacobini–Kresák on March 3, 2017 nearMessier 108 and theOwl Nebula. | |
| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Horace Parnell Tuttle Michel Giacobini Ľubor Kresák |
| Discovery date | May 3, 1858 |
| Designations | |
| P/1858 J1, P/1907 O1 P/1951 H1, P/1989b1 | |
| |
| Orbital characteristics[2][3] | |
| Epoch | September 13, 2023 (JD 2460200.5) |
| Observation arc | 72.38 years |
| Earliestprecovery date | April 26, 1951 |
| Number of observations | 5,250 |
| Aphelion | 5.126 AU |
| Perihelion | 1.051 AU |
| Semi-major axis | 3.088 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.65981 |
| Orbital period | 5.428 years |
| Inclination | 9.219° |
| 140.99° | |
| Argument of periapsis | 62.227° |
| Mean anomaly | 66.147° |
| Last perihelion | 12 September 2022 |
| Next perihelion | 15 February 2028[1] |
| TJupiter | 2.827 |
| EarthMOID | 0.134 AU |
| JupiterMOID | 0.488 AU |
| Physical characteristics[2] | |
| Dimensions | 1.4 km (0.87 mi) |
| Comet total magnitude (M1) | 16.9 |
41P/Tuttle–Giacobini–Kresák is aperiodiccomet in theSolar System. Thecomet nucleus is estimated to be 1.4 km (0.87 mi) in diameter.[2]
Discovered byHorace Parnell Tuttle on May 3, 1858, and re-discovered independently byMichel Giacobini andĽubor 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 10thmagnitude object fortelescopes, located on theCancer-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 atapparent magnitude 4.[4] 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[5] since theperihelion passage occurred when the comet was on the far side of the Sun.
41P was recovered on November 10, 2016, atapparent magnitude 21 byPan-STARRS.[3] On April 1, 2017, the comet passed 0.142 AU (21.2 million km; 13.2 million mi) from the Earth.[6] The comet was expected to brighten to around magnitude 7 and be visible inbinoculars.[7][8]
In the 1960s, theEuropean Space Research Organisation investigated sending a probe to the comet.[9]
| Numbered comets | ||
|---|---|---|
| Previous 40P/Väisälä | 41P/Tuttle–Giacobini–Kresák | Next 42P/Neujmin |
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