Comet Swift–Tuttle facts for kids

Comet Swift–Tuttle (also known as 109P/Swift–Tuttle) is a famous comet that visits the inner Solar System every 133 years. It's a type of comet similar to Halley's Comet, which means it has an orbital period (the time it takes to go around the Sun) between 20 and 200 years. Two astronomers, Lewis Swift and Horace Parnell Tuttle, discovered it independently in July 1862. This comet has a well-known path in space and its solid center, called the comet nucleus, is about 26 kilometers (16 miles) wide.

People have seen Comet Swift–Tuttle for a very long time. Records from China show that in 188 AD, the comet was super bright, almost as bright as the brightest stars! When it returned in 1862, it was as bright as the North Star, Polaris. The comet came back in 1992 and you could see it with binoculars. Scientists predict that in 2126, it will be very bright again, easily seen with just your eyes.

Comet Swift–Tuttle is also special because it's the parent of the Perseid meteor shower. This is one of the most famous and reliable meteor showers you can see every year, especially in August!

Comet's Journey Near Earth

Will Comet Swift–Tuttle Hit Earth?

Scientists have studied Comet Swift–Tuttle's path very carefully. They predict that the comet will come quite close to Earth in the year 4479, around September 15. It will pass by at a distance of about 0.03 to 0.05 AU (an AU is the distance from Earth to the Sun).

Even though it's a close pass, the chance of it actually hitting Earth is extremely, extremely small. It's like one in a million, or even less! So, there's no need to worry about it.

How Does Jupiter Affect the Comet?

An interesting thing about Comet Swift–Tuttle's path is how it interacts with Jupiter. The comet is "captured" in a special pattern with Jupiter. This means that for every 11 times Jupiter goes around the Sun, Comet Swift–Tuttle completes exactly one orbit. This special relationship helps keep its path stable over long periods.

Images for kids

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  Animation of 109P/Swift–Tuttle's orbit from 1850 to 2150. The yellow dot is the Sun, blue is Earth, lime is Jupiter, orange-red is Saturn, gold is Uranus, and magenta is the comet.

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  Animation of 109P/Swift–Tuttle's close approach to Earth in 2126.

See also

In Spanish: 109P/Swift-Tuttle para niños