60558 Echeclus
| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Spacewatch |
| Discovery site | Kitt Peak |
| Discovery date | March 3, 2000 |
| Designations | |
| Pronunciation | /ᵻˈkɛkləs/ e-KEK-ləs or /ˈɛkᵻkləs/ EK-i-kləs |
| 2000 EC98, 2002 GJ27 | |
| Centaur | |
| Orbital characteristics | |
| Epoch November 4, 2013 | |
| Aphelion | 15.568 AU (2,328.9 Gm) |
| Perihelion | 5.816 AU (870.1 Gm) |
| 10.692 AU (1,599.5 Gm) | |
| Eccentricity | 0.456 |
| 34.96 a (12,765.8 d) | |
|
Average orbital speed
|
8.58 km/s |
| 344.913° | |
| Inclination | 4.342° |
| 173.355° | |
| 162.974° | |
| Proper orbital elements | |
|
Proper mean motion
|
0.0282 deg / yr |
|
Proper orbital period
|
12765.95745 yr (4662765.957 d) |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions | 84 km[1][2] |
| 26.8 h[3] | |
| Albedo | 0.04[2] |
| Temperature | ~85 K |
| ~18.8[4] | |
| 9.35[3] | |
60558 Echeclus is a centaur in the outer Solar System. It was discovered by Spacewatch in 2000 and initially classified as a minor planet with provisional designation 2000 EC98 (also written 2000 EC98). Research in 2001 by Rousselot and Petit at the Besançon observatory in France showed no evidence of cometary activity, but in late December 2005 a cometary coma was detected. In early 2006[5] the Committee on Small Bodies Nomenclature (CSBN) gave it the cometary designation 174P/Echeclus. It next comes to perihelion in April 2015,[3] and is expected to reach about apparent magnitude 16.7 near opposition in September 2015.[6]
Name
Echeclus (Greek: Έχεκλος) is a centaur in Greek mythology.
60558 Echeclus is only the second comet (after Chiron) that was named as an asteroid, rather than after the name of its discoverer. Chiron is also a centaur; other centaurs are being observed for signs of a cometary coma.
Besides Chiron, three other objects are cross-listed as both comets and asteroids: 7968 Elst–Pizarro (133P/Elst–Pizarro), 4015 Wilson–Harrington (107P/Wilson–Harrington), and 118401 LINEAR (176P/LINEAR).[7]
Chunk
On 30 December 2005, when 13.1 AU from the Sun, a large chunk of Echeclus was observed to break off, causing a great cloud of dust. Astronomers have speculated this could have been caused by an impact or by an explosive release of volatile substances.[8]
2011 outburst
Echeclus appears to have outburst again around June 2011 when it was 8.5 AU from the Sun.[9][10] On 24 June 2011, follow up imaging with the 2 meter Haleakala-Faulkes Telescope South showed the coma of Echeclus to be very close to the sky background limit.[11]
Orbit
Echeclus comes to perihelion in April 2015.[3]
Centaurs have short dynamical lives due to strong interactions with the giant planets. Echeclus is estimated to have an orbital half-life of about 610 kiloannum.[12]
See also
References
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. (0174P)
- ↑ Dual-Status Objects
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
External links
- Orbital simulation from JPL (Java) / Ephemeris
- Elements and Ephemeris for 174P/Echeclus (IAU Minor Planet Center)
- BAA Comet Section : Comets discovered in 2006
- 60558 - 0174P/ Echeclus (2011 June 8)
- Comet 174P Echeclus chased by Asteroid 2716 Tuulikki (Animation by Joseph Brimacombe on 30 May 2011)
| Periodic comets (by number) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Previous 173P/Mueller |
174P/Echeclus | Next 175P/Hergenrother |
