168P/Hergenrother

168P/Hergenrother

168P/Hergenrother during its 2012 outburst. By Mount Lemmon Observatory.
Discovery
Discovered by	Carl W. Hergenrother
Discovery date	November 22, 1998
Alternative designations	P/1998 W2 P/2005 N2
Orbital characteristics ^A
Epoch	March 6, 2006
Aphelion	5.839 AU
Perihelion	1.426 AU
Semi-major axis	3.632 AU
Eccentricity	0.6075
Orbital period	6.923 a
Inclination	21.8934°
Last perihelion	October 1, 2012[1] November 2, 2005
Next perihelion	August 5, 2019[2][3]

168P/Hergenrother is a periodic comet in the solar system. The comet originally named P/1998 W2 returned in 2005 and got the temporary name P/2005 N2.^[4]

The comet came to perihelion on 1 October 2012,^[1] and was expected to reach about apparent magnitude 15.2, but due to an outburst the comet reached apparent magnitude 8.^[5] As a result of the outburst of gas and dust, the comet was briefly more than 500 times brighter than it would have been without the outburst.^[6] Images by the 2 m (79 in) Faulkes Telescope North on 26 October 2012 confirm a fragmentation event.^[7] The secondary fragment was about magnitude 17. Further observations by the 8.1 m (320 in) Gemini telescope show that the comet fragmented into at least 4 parts.^[8]

References

1. Syuichi Nakano (2009-04-23). "168P/Hergenrother (NK 1778)". OAA Computing and Minor Planet Sections. Retrieved 2012-02-20.
2. "168P/Hergenrother Orbit". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 2014-06-20.
3. Syuichi Nakano (2012-07-17). "168P/Hergenrother (NK 2283)". OAA Computing and Minor Planet Sections. Retrieved 2012-10-13.
4. IAUC 8560: recovery of comet P/1998 W2
5. Seiichi Yoshida (2012-02-21). "168P/Hergenrother (2012)". Seiichi Yoshida's Comet Catalog. Retrieved 2012-02-25.
6. Math: $(\sqrt[5]{100})^{15.2-8}\approx 758$
7. Giovanni Sostero; Nick Howes; Ernesto Guido (October 26, 2012). "Splitting event in comet 168P/Hergenrother". Remanzacco Observatory in Italy – Comets & Neo. Retrieved 2012-10-28.
8. Phil Plait (2012-11-05). "Breaking up is easy to do. If you’re a comet.". Bad Astronomy. Retrieved 2012-11-05.

External links

• Orbital simulation from JPL (Java) / Horizons Ephemeris
• 168P on Seiichi Yoshida's comet list
• Elements and Ephemeris for 168P/Hergenrother – Minor Planet Center
• 168P at Kronk's Cometography
• Comet 168P Hergenrother in outburst (Google+ chat archive Oct 12, 2012)
• Comet Hergenrother in Outburst (Carl Hergenrother : 20 Oct 2012)
• Comet 168P and fragment as seen by Kitt Peak WIYN 3.5-metre (140 in) on 30 Oct 2012
• Scientists Monitor Comet Breakup (168P-Hergenrother was imaged by the NOAO/Gemini telescope Nov. 2, 2012)
• Temporal Correlation Between Outbursts and Fragmentation Events of Comet 168P/Hergenrother (arXiv:1409.7641 : 26 Sep 2014)