Of the several comets discovered in 2021, the comet C/2021 A1, called Comet Leonard after it’s discoverer Gregory Leonard, may become visible to the naked jicho on 12 December 2021 when it comes closest to the Earth (at the distance of 35 million km), possibly for the last time, before it approaches Venus much more closely on 18 December coming closest to Sun on 3 January 2022.
Comets are small celestial bodies, icy leftovers from the early phases of the forming of the outer sayari, kuzunguka around the sun in elliptical njia. In a comet’s obiti, perihelion is the point when it is nearest the Sun while aphelion is the farthest. When in the inner solar system closer to perihelion, comets emit particles and gases on being heated by solar radiation producing the characteristic tail.
Currently, about 3775 comets are known in the Mfumo wa jua.
Kulingana na muda uliochukuliwa katika kukamilisha mapinduzi kamili ya Jua, kometi ni comet za kipindi kirefu au kometi za muda mfupi. Nyota za muda mfupi hukamilisha mapinduzi kamili ya kuzunguka jua ndani ya miaka 200 (kwa mfano, Comet Halley huchukua miaka 76 kukamilisha mapinduzi moja kamili ya jua) kwa hivyo pia hujulikana kama Comets za Near-Earth (NECs). Nyota kama hizo huangaliwa kwa karibu kwa sababu ya uwezo wao wa kusababisha uharibifu Ardhi.
The comet C/2021 A1 (Leonard) is a long period comet discovered by Gregory Leonard on 3 January 2021. Its Orbital period is about 80,000 years meaning it completes one revolution around Sun in about 80,000 years. So, next time it will come close to Sun after 80,000 years from now which makes this unique opportunity.
Mnamo tarehe 12 Desemba 2021, comet Leonard itakuwa kilomita milioni 34.9 (0.233 AU; kitengo kimoja cha astronomia AU ni umbali wa wastani kati ya Dunia na jua letu. AU inalingana na maili milioni 93 au kilomita milioni 150 au dakika 8 za mwanga) kutoka. Dunia.
Baadaye, itakaribia Zuhura kwa umbali wa karibu zaidi wa kilomita milioni 4.2 (0.029 AU) tarehe 18 Desemba 2021. Chini ya siku mbili baadaye, italisha Zuhura kwa mkia wake wa vumbi. Hatimaye, itakuwa karibu na Jua tarehe 3 Januari 2022.
Sina hakika kama itarudi lakini ikiwa itarudi, itakuwa miaka 80,000 kutoka sasa wakati mtu anaweza kuiona tena.
***
Vyanzo:
- Zhang Q., et al 2021. Hakiki ya Comet C/2021 A1 (Leonard) na Kukutana kwake na Zuhura. Jarida la Astronomical, Juzuu 162, Nambari 5. Limechapishwa 2021 Oktoba 13. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-3881/ac19ba
- Picha ya Siku ya Unajimu ya NASA https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap211203.html
***
