lexellrsquos-comet | space-encyclopedia

Space Travel

23, May, 2012

Space exploration began with the launch of Sputnik and Astrophysics was born as the application of physics to the phenomena observed by Astronomy, which etymologically means laws of the stars.

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Term	Definition
Lexell’s Comet	A comet discovered by C. Messier in 1770, but named after A. Lexell 1740-84 who investigated its orbit. He showed that a close approach to Jupiter in 1767 had caused a large change in its orbit that brought it close enough to the Earth to be visible. The comet passed within 1.2 million kilometres of the Earth, still the closest recorded approach of a comet. However, another close approach to Jupiter in 1779 further perturbed the orbit, so drastically that it was never seen again.

Term

Definition

Lexell’s Comet

A comet discovered by C. Messier in 1770, but named after A. Lexell 1740-84 who investigated its orbit. He showed that a close approach to Jupiter in 1767 had caused a large change in its orbit that brought it close enough to the Earth to be visible. The comet passed within 1.2 million kilometres of the Earth, still the closest recorded approach of a comet. However, another close approach to Jupiter in 1779 further perturbed the orbit, so drastically that it was never seen again.