Comet IRAS–Araki–Alcock

Comet IRAS–Araki–Alcock
A false colour image of Comet IRAS–Araki–Alcock in 1983, viewed in infrared light by the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS).

Comet IRAS–Araki–Alcock (formal designation C/1983 H1, formerly 1983 VII) is a small comet that, in 1983, made the closest approach to the earth (about 5,000,000 km) of any comet in 200 years; only Lexell's Comet, in 1770, and 55P/Tempel-Tuttle, in 1366, are thought to have come closer.

The comet was named after its discoverers – the Infrared Astronomical Satellite and two amateur astronomers, the highly-respected George Alcock of the United Kingdom and Genichi Araki of Japan (both men were schoolteachers by profession, although Alcock was retired). Alcock had made his discovery simply by observing through the window of his home, using binoculars.[1][2]

During the closest approach the comet appeared as a circular cloud about the size of the full moon, having no discernible tail, and shining at a naked eye magnitude of 3-4. It swept across the sky at an incredible speed of some 30 degrees per day.

It is a long-period comet, with an orbital period of around 964 years, and is the parent comet of the minor Eta Lyrid meteor shower.[3] This shower's radiant lies between Vega and Cygnus and produces 1 or 2 meteors an hour in mid-May with a peak between May 9 and May 11.

References

  1. ^ 'Obituary of George Alcock' BBC News, 21-12/2000
  2. ^ 'Outbreak of Comet Fever', TIME Magazine, 23-05-83. "I've discovered a wonderful star," commented Araki, "Now I've got to discover a wonderful wife."
  3. ^ 'Eta Lyrids', Meteor Showers Online, accessed 21-11-08



Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Comet IRAS-Araki-Alcock — (C/1983 H1) was a small comet that, in 1983, made the closest approach to the earth (about 5,000,000 km) of any comet in 200 years. During the closest approach the comet appeared as a circular cloud about the size of the full moon, shining at a… …   Wikipedia

  • Comet — This article is about the astronomical object. For other uses, see Comet (disambiguation). Comet Hale– …   Wikipedia

  • IRAS — Infobox Space telescope name = Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) caption = IRAS beside some of its all sky images organization = NASA / NIVR / SERC major contractors = Ball Aerospace / Fokker Space / Hollandse Signaal alt names = nssdc id =… …   Wikipedia

  • comet — cometary /kom i ter ee/, cometic /keuh met ik/, cometical, adj. cometlike, adj. /kom it/, n. Astron. a celestial body moving about the sun, usually in a highly eccentric orbit, consisting of a central mass surrounded by an envelope of dust and… …   Universalium

  • Alcock, George Eric Deacon — ▪ 2001       British schoolteacher and amateur astronomer (b. Aug. 28, 1912, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, Eng. d. Dec. 15, 2000, England), was ranked as one of the world s finest amateur astronomers; his 10 major discoveries exceeded the… …   Universalium

  • George Alcock — Infobox Scientist name = George Eric Deacon Alcock box width = image width = caption = birth date = birth date|1912|08|28 birth place = Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, England death date = death date and age|2000|12|15|1912|08|28 death place =… …   Wikipedia

  • Astronomical naming conventions — In ancient times, only the Sun and Moon, a few hundred stars and the most easily visible planets had names. Over the last few hundred years, the number of identified astronomical objects has risen from hundreds to over a billion, and more are… …   Wikipedia

  • Convenciones sobre nomenclatura astronómica — En la Antigüedad sólo el Sol, la Luna, algunas estrellas y los planetas más visibles recibieron nombre. En los últimos siglos el número de objetos astronómicos identificados se ha elevado de algunos centenares a más de mil millones y cada año se… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Комета — У этого термина существуют и другие значения, см. Комета (значения). Комета Хейла Боппа Комета (от др. греч …   Википедия

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”