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arXiv · 1205.6874

"The 2009 Apparition of Methuselah Comet 107P/Wilson-Harrington: A Case of Comet Rejuvenation?"

I. Ferrín·Hiromi Hamanowa·Hiroko Hamanowa·J. Hernández·E. Sira·A. Sánchez·H. Zhao·R. Miles
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Abstract

(1) We find that comet 107P/WH was active in 1949, 1979, 1992, 2005, and 2009. (2) Its age can be measured. We find T-AGE=4700 comet years, WB-AGE=7800 cy. (3) This is a methuselah comet very near to its dormancy phase, being temporarily rejuvenated due to a diminution of its perihelion distance. (4) We measured the diameter as Deffe=3.67\pm0.06 km, and the rotational period, Prot=6.093\pm0.002 h. (5) We define the region of the graveyard of comets, and three comets belong to the graveyard: 107P/Wilson-Harrington, 133P/Elst-Pizarro and D/1891W1 Blanpain.

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I. Ferrín, Hiromi Hamanowa, Hiroko Hamanowa, J. Hernández, E. Sira, A. Sánchez, H. Zhao, R. Miles. 2012-05-31. "The 2009 Apparition of Methuselah Comet 107P/Wilson-Harrington: A Case of Comet Rejuvenation?". https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pss.2012.05.022

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