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From: GMS@psuvm.BITNET
Newsgroups: net.aviation,net.astro
Subject: Re: Something else to watch out for!
Message-ID: <1880GMS@psuvm>
Date: Mon, 24-Jun-85 15:28:03 EDT
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Posted: Mon Jun 24 15:28:03 1985
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I remember reading that the 'small, dead' comet that supposedly created the
1908 explosion, was hypothesized to be a fragment from Encke's Comet.  This
comet is a small one with a period of about 3.5 years and with an orbit that
crosses that of the Earth.  Having observed it a number of years ago (late
1970's) I can testify that it is very difficult to see (although I only used
an 8-inch scope).
     
Most comets are of this category, not even becomming of naked-eye visibility.
     
Consider IRAS-Araki-Alcock (in 1983) which came very close to the Earth, and
was not a very spectacular sight.  (At least to non-astronomer types)  Since
this one was estimated at about 1 mile diameter and about 6 million miles away
it would not have taken much deviation in its orbit to have a spectacular effec
t on the Earth.
     
Gerry Santoro
Penn State University
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