161P/Hartley–IRAS
Halley-type comet
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
161P/HartleyâIRAS is a periodic comet with an orbital period of 21 years. It fits the classical definition of a Halley-type comet with (20 years < period < 200 years).[5]
| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Malcolm Hartley IRAS |
| Discovery date | November 4, 1983 |
| Designations | |
| 1983v, 1984 III; 2004 V2 | |
| Orbital characteristics | |
| Epoch | March 6, 2006 |
| Aphelion | 14.19 AU |
| Perihelion | 1.275 AU |
| Semi-major axis | 7.734 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.8351 |
| Orbital period | 21.51 yr |
| Inclination | 95.6899° |
| Last perihelion | June 20, 2005 |
| Next perihelion | 2026 Oct. 29[1] 2026 Nov. 27[2][3][4] |
This was one of six comets discovered by the infrared space telescope IRAS, in 1983.[6][7]
By August 2026, the comet should be around apparent magnitude 14.[8] The closest approach to Earth will be on 2 October 2026 at a distance of 0.505 AU (75.5 million km).[8] At perihelion on 27 November 2026 the solar elongation will be 61 degrees at a magnitude of approximately 11.[8]
