126P/IRAS
The comet on 27 July 2023 by ZTF
Discovery[1]
Discovered byInfrared Astronomical Satellite
Discovery date28 July 1983
Designations
126P/1996 P1, 126P/1983 M1, 1983 XIV, 1983j
Orbital characteristics[2]
Epoch17 December 2010
Aphelion9.573 AU
Perihelion1.714 AU
Semi-major axis5.643 AU
Orbital period13.406 years
Inclination45.832°
357.761°
Argument of
periapsis		356.727°
Last perihelion5 July 2023
TJupiter1.964
Earth MOID0.710 AU
Physical characteristics
Dimensions3.14 ± 0.28 km[3]
Comet total
magnitude (M1)		12.4[2]

126P/IRAS is a periodic comet with an orbital period of 13.4 years. It was discovered in images taken by the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) on 28 July 1983 by J. Davies. The discovery was confirmed with images taken with the 1.2-m Schmidt telescope at Palomar Observatory.[1][4]

Upon discovery the comet had an apparent magnitude of 15 and appeared stellar in appearance.[4] The comet brightened and in mid September 1983 reached an apparent magnitude of 11 while a tail 3.5 arcminutes long was observed. Brian G. Marsden computed its orbit and found it is a short period comet with an orbital period of 13.32 years.[1] The comet was observed again during its next apparition in 1996, when it brightened up to magnitude of about 11 in September 1996 and faded to about 12 in October.[5][6] The comet was observed during its 2010 and 2023 apparitions.[7]

During the 1996 apparition the comet was observed by the Infrared Space Observatory when it was near perihelion. The comet had a 15 arcminute long tail in mid infrared. The surface was covered with dust grains smaller than 5 microns, a grain size similar to Halley's Comet. The dust mass loss rate was between 150–600 kg/s, while the comet shed 3.3 times more dust mass than gas mass. The albedo of the dust grain in the tail was estimated to be 0.15 ± 0.03.[8] The nucleus is estimated to have a radius of 1.57 ± 0.14 km based on infrared observations.[3]

It has been proposed that meteoroids expelled from the comet about 13.000 years ago could reach Earth, producing a diffuse meteor shower.[9]

References

  1. ^ a b c Kronk, Gary. "126P/IRAS". cometography.com. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Small-Body Database Lookup: 126P/IRAS". ssd.jpl.nasa.gov. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
  3. ^ a b Groussin, O.; Lamy, P.; Jorda, L.; Toth, I. (May 2004). "The nuclei of comets 126P/IRAS and 103P/Hartley 2". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 419 (1): 375–383. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20040073.
  4. ^ a b Green, Daniel. "IAUC 3833: Poss. COMET; HO 139-68; 1982d". www.cbat.eps.harvard.edu. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
  5. ^ Marsden, B. G.; Seargent, D. A. J.; Camilleri, P.; Kobayashi, J.; Hale, A. (2 October 1996). "Comet 126P/IRAS". International Astronomical Union Circular. 6483: 2. ISSN 0081-0304. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
  6. ^ Keen, R.; Carvajal, J.; Sarneczky, K.; Seargent, D. A. J.; Hu, J. (24 October 1996). "Comet 126P/IRAS". International Astronomical Union Circular. 6497: 2. ISSN 0081-0304.
  7. ^ "126P/IRAS". www.aerith.net. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
  8. ^ Lisse, C.M.; Fernández, Y.R.; A'Hearn, M.F.; Grün, E.; Käufl, H.U.; Osip, D.J.; Lien, D.J.; Kostiuk, T.; Peschke, S.B.; Walker, R.G. (October 2004). "A tale of two very different comets: ISO and MSX measurements of dust emission from 126P/IRAS (1996) and 2P/Encke (1997)". Icarus. 171 (2): 444–462. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2004.05.015.
  9. ^ Tomko, D.; Neslušan, L. (March 2012). "Search for New Parent Bodies of Meteoroid Streams Among Comets. I. Showers of Comets 126P/1996 P1 and 161P/2004 V2 with Radiants on Southern Sky". Earth, Moon, and Planets. 108 (2): 123–138. doi:10.1007/s11038-012-9387-x.

External links

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