Orbital motion, nucleus precession, and splitting of periodic Comet Brooks 2
Abstract
Comet Brooks 2 is the only short-period comet that split and has been observed extensively enough to allow the determination of the time history of the nongravitational parameters, including the transverse component A2. This information is vital for modeling the nucleus precession, which is of particular interest in this case, as the comet is obviously a fragment of a once larger object. The authors present the results of ten nongravitational orbital solutions based on observations from the apparitions 1889 - 1980. The interpretation, in terms of a variable rate of nucleus precession, makes it possible to determine some of the basic characteristics of the nucleus model, such as the dimensions, oblateness, and rotation period.
- Publication:
-
The Astronomical Journal
- Pub Date:
- November 1985
- DOI:
- 10.1086/113939
- Bibcode:
- 1985AJ.....90.2335S
- Keywords:
-
- Comet Nuclei;
- Comets;
- Orbital Elements;
- Precession;
- Solar Orbits;
- Comet Tails;
- Encke Method;
- Ephemerides;
- Jupiter (Planet);
- Light Curve;
- Outgassing;
- Perihelions;
- COMETS;
- ORBITS;
- MOTION;
- COMET NUCLEI;
- PRECESSION;
- SPLITTING;
- BROOKS 2;
- SHORT-PERIOD COMETS;
- OBSERVATIONS;
- CELESTIAL MECHANICS;
- ASTRONOMY;
- DUST;
- PARAMETERS;
- RADIUS;
- ROTATION;
- PERIOD;
- LIGHTCURVE;
- BRIGHTNESS;
- MODELS;
- GEOMETRY;
- STRENGTH;
- DENSITY;
- PHYSICAL PROPERTIES;
- COLLISIONS;
- Astronomy; Comets