238P/Read
| Discovery | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Discovery date | 2005 October 24 | ||||||||
| Designations | |||||||||
| Main-belt comet[1][2] | |||||||||
| Orbital characteristics[3] | |||||||||
| Epoch January 7, 2006 T_jup = 3.153 |
|||||||||
| Aphelion | 3.9645 AU (Q) | ||||||||
| Perihelion | 2.3647 AU (q) | ||||||||
| 3.1646 AU (a) | |||||||||
| Eccentricity | 0.25277 | ||||||||
| 5.63 yr | |||||||||
| 28.566° (M) | |||||||||
| Inclination | 1.2662° | ||||||||
| 51.647° | |||||||||
| 325.76° | |||||||||
| Physical characteristics | |||||||||
| Dimensions | ~0.6 km[4] | ||||||||
|
Mean density
|
1.0(?) g/cm³ (assumed)[4] | ||||||||
| Albedo | 0.04 (assumed)[4] | ||||||||
|
|||||||||
| 19.62 to 23.41 | |||||||||
| 20.1 ± 0.4R[4] | |||||||||
238P/Read (P/2005 U1) is a main-belt comet[1][2] discovered on 2005 October 24 by M. T. Read using the Spacewatch 36 inch telescope on Kitt Peak. It has an orbit within the asteroid belt and has displayed the coma of a traditional comet. It fits the definition of an Encke-type comet with (TJupiter > 3; a < aJupiter).[3]
Before it was discovered 238P came to perihelion on 2005 July 27.[3] When it was discovered on 2005 October 24, it showed vigorous cometary activity until 2005 December 27.[4] Outgassing likely began at least 2 months before discovery.[4] The activity of 238P is much stronger than 133P/Elst-Pizarro and 176P/LINEAR.[4] This may indicate that the impact assumed to have triggered 238P's activity occurred very recently.[4]
Observations of 238P when it was inactive in 2007 suggests that it has a small nucleus only about 0.6 km in diameter.[4]
It last came to perihelion on 2011 March 10,[4] and will next come to perihelion on 2016 October 22.[5][6]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. (older 2010 site)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Archived from the original on 2012-08-08
- ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
External links
- Orbital simulation from JPL (Java) / Horizons Ephemeris
- Elements and Ephemeris for 238P/Read – Minor Planet Center
- 238P/Read at the Minor Planet Center's Database
- Main-Belt Comet 238P/Read Revisited (arXiv:1106.0045 : 31 May 2011)
| Periodic comets (by number) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Previous 237P/LINEAR |
238P/Read | Next 239P/LINEAR |
