41P/Tuttle-Giacobini-Kresak

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

41P/Tuttle-Giacobini-Kresak
Comet
(List of comets)
No image.
Discovery
Discoverer Horace Parnell Tuttle
Michel Giacobini
Ľubor Kresák
Discovery date May 3, 1858
Alternate
designations
1858 III; 1907 III; 1951 IV;
1962 V; 1973 VI; 1978 XXV;
1990 II
Orbital elements A
Epoch March 6, 2006
Eccentricity (e) 0.6604
Semi-major axis (a) 3.085 AU
Perihelion (q) 1.048 AU
Aphelion (Q) 5.122 AU
Orbital period (P) 5.419 a
Inclination (i) 9.2294°
Last perihelion date January 7, 2001
Next est. perihelion date June 11, 2006

41P/Tuttle-Giacobini-Kresak is a periodic comet in our solar system.

Discovered by Horace Parnell Tuttle on May 3, 1858, and re-discovered independently by Michel Giacobini and Ľubor Kresák in 1907 and 1951 respectively, 41P is a member of the Jupiter family of comets.


[edit] 2006 Apparition

As of June 1, Comet 41P was a 10th magnitude object for telescopes, located on the Gemini-Leo border, with a predicted maximum of about 10 at perihelion 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. [1]

However, by June 22, the comet had diminished to about magnitude 11, having produced no flare of note.

[edit] External links


Comets
Previous periodic comet 41P/Tuttle-Giacobini-Kresak Next periodic comet
In other languages