60558 Echeclus

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60558 Echeclus
174P/Echeclus
Discovery
Discovered by Spacewatch
Discovery site Kitt Peak
Discovery date March 3, 2000
Designations
Pronunciation /ˈkɛkləs/ e-KEK-ləs
or /ˈɛkkləs/ EK-i-kləs
2000 EC98, 2002 GJ27
Centaur
Orbital characteristics
Epoch November 4, 2013
Aphelion 15.568 AU (2,328.9 Gm)
Perihelion 5.816 AU (870.1 Gm)
10.692 AU (1,599.5 Gm)
Eccentricity 0.456
34.96 a (12,765.8 d)
8.58 km/s
344.913°
Inclination 4.342°
173.355°
162.974°
Proper orbital elements
0.0282 deg / yr
12765.95745 yr
(4662765.957 d)
Physical characteristics
Dimensions 84 km[1][2]
26.8 h[3]
Albedo 0.04[2]
Temperature ~85 K
~18.8[4]
9.35[3]

60558 Echeclus is a centaur in the outer Solar System. It was discovered by Spacewatch in 2000 and initially classified as a minor planet with provisional designation 2000 EC98 (also written 2000 EC98). Research in 2001 by Rousselot and Petit at the Besançon observatory in France showed no evidence of cometary activity, but in late December 2005 a cometary coma was detected. In early 2006[5] the Committee on Small Bodies Nomenclature (CSBN) gave it the cometary designation 174P/Echeclus. It next comes to perihelion in April 2015,[3] and is expected to reach about apparent magnitude 16.7 near opposition in September 2015.[6]

Name

Echeclus (Greek: Έχεκλος) is a centaur in Greek mythology.

60558 Echeclus is only the second comet (after Chiron) that was named as an asteroid, rather than after the name of its discoverer. Chiron is also a centaur; other centaurs are being observed for signs of a cometary coma.

Besides Chiron, three other objects are cross-listed as both comets and asteroids: 7968 Elst–Pizarro (133P/Elst–Pizarro), 4015 Wilson–Harrington (107P/Wilson–Harrington), and 118401 LINEAR (176P/LINEAR).[7]

Chunk

On 30 December 2005, when 13.1 AU from the Sun, a large chunk of Echeclus was observed to break off, causing a great cloud of dust. Astronomers have speculated this could have been caused by an impact or by an explosive release of volatile substances.[8]

2011 outburst

Echeclus appears to have outburst again around June 2011 when it was 8.5 AU from the Sun.[9][10] On 24 June 2011, follow up imaging with the 2 meter Haleakala-Faulkes Telescope South showed the coma of Echeclus to be very close to the sky background limit.[11]

Orbit

Echeclus comes to perihelion in April 2015.[3]

Centaurs have short dynamical lives due to strong interactions with the giant planets. Echeclus is estimated to have an orbital half-life of about 610 kiloannum.[12]

See also

References

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  7. Dual-Status Objects
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External links

Periodic comets (by number)
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