94P/Russell

94P/Russell 4

94P (apmag ~17; 2.2AU from the Sun)
Discovery
Discovered by Russell, Kenneth S[1]
Discovery date March 7, 1984
Alternative
designations		 1984 I;1990 XI
Orbital characteristics A
Epoch October 1, 2009
Aphelion 4.793 AU (Q)
Perihelion 2.240 AU (q)
Semi-major axis 3.517 AU (a)
Eccentricity 0.3630
Orbital period 6.60 yr
Inclination 6.182°
Last perihelion March 29, 2010[1][2]
August 29, 2003[2]
Next perihelion October 27, 2016[3][4]

94P/Russell 4 is a periodic comet in the Solar System. It fits the definition of an Encke-type comet with (TJupiter > 3; a < aJupiter).[1] It was discovered by Kenneth S. Rusell[1] on photographic plates taken by M. Hawkins on March 7, 1984.[5] In the discovery images, Russell estimated that the comet had an apparent magnitude of 13 and a noticeable tail of 5 arc minutes.[5] In the year of discovery, the comet had come to perihelion in January 1984.[2]

With an aphelion (furthest distance from the Sun) of 4.7 AU,[1] comet 94P currently has an orbit contained completely inside of the orbit of Jupiter.

In July 1995, 94P was estimated to have a radius of about 2.6 km with an absolute magnitude (H) of 15.1.[6] It may have a very elongated nucleus with an axial ratio of a/b >= 3.[6]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 94P/Russell 4" (last observation: 2009-12-25). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 2010-02-19.
  2. 1 2 3 Seiichi Yoshida (2008-10-25). "94P/Russell 4". Seiichi Yoshida's Comet Catalog. Retrieved 2010-02-19.
  3. ↑ "94P/Russell Orbit". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 2014-06-17.
  4. ↑ Patrick Rocher (2010-06-24). "Note number : 0053 P/Russell 4 : 94P". Institut de mécanique céleste et de calcul des éphémérides. Retrieved 2011-03-14.
  5. 1 2 Kronk, Gary W. "94P/Russell 4". Retrieved 2010-02-19. (Cometography Home Page)
  6. 1 2 Snodgrass, Colin; Lowry, Stephen C.; Fitzsimmons, Alan (2007). "Optical observations of 23 distant Jupiter Family Comets, including 36P/Whipple at multiple phase angles". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 385 (2): 737–756. arXiv:0712.4204Freely accessible. Bibcode:2008MNRAS.385..737S. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2008.12900.x.

External links

Numbered comets
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