2006-09-23 21:17:57 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
The periodic comet 109/P Swift Tuttle (not Smith Tuttle) last appeared in the inner solar system in 1862 and 1992. The debris it leaves in its wake causes the annual Perseids meteor shower, the most prolific of the year, peaking on August 12th every year, as the earth enters the comet's debris path, in its annual journey around the sun,
It comes slightly inside Earth's orbit (Perihelion 0.9595 AU) and goes out beyond Pluto's orbit (Aphelion (51.225 AU) with an orbital period of 133.28 years.
On November 7, 1992, the comet passed 177 million kilometers (110 million miles) from Earth (its closest approach) on its way to a December 12th perihelion. That is further away from the earth than the Sun is.
The next estimated perihelion date is July 12, 2126, so I am not clear why you think something will happen by July 2100.
Wikipedia reports: "According to a New Scientist article, the comet is on an orbit which will almost certainly eventually hit either the Earth or the Moon, though not within this millennium."
Headlined "Comet put on list of potential Earth impactors" the New Scientist article was dated 01 June 2005. Keep trying the link below, it was down when I tried it but New Scientist say they hope to have it back up again soon. If it isn't, you could always try a public or university library for back issues.
Since Comet Swift-Tuttle is thought to be about six-miles across, about the same size of the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs, a possible collision if one occurs, looks ominous.
But new calculations show Comet Swift-Tuttle will pass a comfortable 15 million miles from Earth on its next trip to the inner solar system. However, when orbital calculations further into the future were run, it was found that, in 3044, Comet Swift-Tuttle may pass within a million miles of Earth, a true cosmic ``near miss.''
So we have 1,038 years to find a solution to the problem, if indeed there is one.
2006-09-23 21:35:55 · answer #1 · answered by Amy Morgan 2 · 7⤊ 0⤋
Comet Swift-tuttle
2016-10-28 11:47:45 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This Site Might Help You.
RE:
Is earth in collision course with comet "Smith tuttle" by July,2100?
2015-08-07 02:13:57 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Swift-tuttle
2016-12-12 14:38:55 · answer #4 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
um.. why do you even care.. we're all probably dead by then
2006-09-23 21:22:31 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
dunoo
2006-09-23 21:35:27 · answer #6 · answered by sher 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
dunno. Have you got any orbit data so one could maybe calculate probabilities?
2006-09-23 21:20:55 · answer #7 · answered by Helmut 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋