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52P/Harrington–Abell

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Periodic comet with 7 year orbit
52P/Harrington–Abell
Comet Harrington–Abell photographed by the 2MASS survey in 1998
Discovery
Discovered byRobert G. Harrington
George O. Abell
Discovery sitePalomar Observatory
Discovery date22 March 1955
Designations
MPC designationP/1955 F1
P/1962 B1
Alternative designations1954 XIII; 1962 II; 1969 III;
1976 VIII; 1983 XVII; 1991 X
Orbital characteristics
Epoch6 March 2006
Aphelion5.932 AU
Perihelion1.757 AU
Semi-major axis3.844 AU
Eccentricity0.5429
Orbital period7.538 years
Inclination10.2204°
Last perihelionOctober 5, 2021
March 7, 2014
August 14, 2006
Next perihelion2029-May-10
Physical characteristics
Dimensions2.6 km (1.6 mi)
Comet total
magnitude (M1)		11.8
Comet nuclear
magnitude (M2)		15.5
Apparent magnitude17–22
(typical brightness)
10.9–11.8
(1998 apparition)

52P/Harrington–Abell is a periodic comet in the Solar System.

It was discovered by Robert G. Harrington and George O. Abell in 1955 on plates from the Palomar Sky Survey taken with the 49-inch Samuel Oschin telescope.

It has been seen on every apparition since then. With a period of about seven years, it has been seen close to its perihelia in 1954, 1962, 1969, 1976, 1983, 1991, and 2006. Its orbital period changed from 7.2 to 7.6 years when it passed 0.04 AU from Jupiter in April, 1974. It typically gets no brighter than about magnitude 17.

In 1998/1999, it was unexpectedly bright. When recovered on July 21, 1998, by Alain Maury, he expected it to be about magnitude 21 or 22. Instead, he found it to be thousands of times brighter at magnitude 12.2. The next night, its brightness was estimated by others at magnitude 10.9 to 11.8. It may have had a second outburst about 80 days before perihelion. It finally faded to dimmer than magnitude 12 by the end of March, 1999.

At its return in 2006, it returned to normal brightness.

References

  1. J. M. Vinter Hansen (28 March 1955). "Comet Harrington–Abell (1955a)". Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams. 1494.
  2. "Comet Names and Designations". International Comet Quarterly. Retrieved 25 December 2024.
  3. "52P/Harrington-Abell Orbit". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 2014-06-16.
  4. Syuichi Nakano (2011-10-30). "52P/Harrington-Abell (NK 2137)". OAA Computing and Minor Planet Sections. Retrieved 2012-02-18.
  5. "Horizons Batch for 52P/Harrington-Abell (90000605) on 2029-May-10" (Perihelion occurs when rdot flips from negative to positive). JPL Horizons. Archived from the original on 2022-06-18. Retrieved 2022-07-06. (JPL#K212/19 Soln.date: 2023-May-04)
  6. ^ "52P/Harrington–Abell – JPL Small-Body Database Lookup". ssd.jpl.nasa.gov. Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 25 December 2024.
  7. ^ Kazuo Kinoshita. "Cometography: 52P/Harrington-Abell". Gary W. Kronk. Archived from the original on 17 May 2011. Retrieved June 10, 2011.
  8. Kronk, Gary W.; Meyer, Maik (2010). Cometography: Volume 5, 1960-1982: A Catalog of Comets. Cambridge University Press. p. 471. ISBN 978-0-521-87226-3.
  9. ^ "BAA Comet Section : Periodic Comets". British Astronomical Association. Retrieved June 10, 2011.
  10. Seiichi Yoshida. "52P/Harrington-Abell (2006)". Archived from the original on 14 May 2011. Retrieved June 10, 2011.

External links

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