108P/Ciffréo

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108P/Ciffréo
Semi-major axis
3.642 AU
Eccentricity0.581
Orbital period6.95 years
Inclination13.980°
52.402°
Argument of
periapsis
356.86°
Last perihelion11 October 2021
Next perihelion2028-Dec-09[2]
Earth MOID0.535 AU
Jupiter MOID0.283 AU
Physical characteristics
Mean diameter
3.2 km [3]
1 km[4]
Comet total
magnitude
(M1)
10.9 [3]

108P/Ciffréo is a

Jacqueline Ciffréo on November 8, 1985.[5] The comet is noted for having a peculiar double morphology, in which the nucleus is accompanied by a comoving, detached, diffuse tail, which is probably a perspective artifact of particles ejected sunwards and then repelled by solar wind.[4][6]

The comet was discovered by

perihelion had taken place on 28 October 1985 at a distance of 1.72 AU.[7] Further observations revealed that the perihelion was on 30 October and the orbital period of the comet was 7.22 years.[5] On December 1985 a detacted coma or tail was detected 6 arcseconds from the nucleus of the comet and extending for 20 arcseconds to the north-east. The visual magnitude of the comet was estimated to be 12.5.[8]

The comet was recovered on 1992 September 24 by J. V. Scotti with the Spacewatch telescope. The comet passed perihelion on 23 January 1993. The next perihelion was in April 2000 and the comet was observed in November and December 1999 and November and December 2000.[5] During the 2014 and 2021 apparition the comet featured a detached coma, similar to that observed in 1985.[6] The peculiar morphology was attributed to a possible fragmentation event[9] but further observations revealed it is most probably an artifact of the turnaround of particles ejected sunward and repelled by sunlight.[4]

References

  1. ^
    ISSN 0081-0304
    .
  2. ^ "Horizons Batch for 108P/Ciffreo (90000970) on 2028-Dec-09" (Perihelion occurs when rdot flips from negative to positive). JPL Horizons. Retrieved 2023-04-29. (Soln.date: 2022-Aug-16)
  3. ^ a b c "Small-Body Database Lookup: 108P/Ciffreo". ssd.jpl.nasa.gov. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  4. ^ .
  5. ^ a b c Kronk, Gary. "108P/Ciffreo". cometography.com. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  6. ^ a b Manzini, Federico; Ochner, Paolo; Oldani, Virginio; Bedin, Luigi R.; Reguitti, Andrea; Bosch, Jean Gabriel; Soulier, Jean François (25 January 2022). "Comet C/108P (Ciffreo) is not splitting". The Astronomer's Telegram. 15177: 1.
  7. ^ Green, Daniel (18 November 1985). "IAUC 4137: 1985p; CH Cyg; MU Cep". Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams.
  8. ^ Marsden, Brian (3 January 1986). "IAUC 4158: PLUTO; 1985p". Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams.
  9. .


Numbered comets
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107P/Wilson–Harrington
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109P/Swift–Tuttle