坦普尔2号彗星的尘埃轨迹
(原标题: The Dust Trail of Comet Tempel 2)
2026-07-17
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彗星10P/Tempel 2每5.4年绕太阳运行一次。7月11日，这颗周期彗星在双筒望远镜或小型望远镜中朝向摩羯座的方向可见，这张清晰的望远镜图像显示出明亮的核区和漂亮的绿色彗发。值得注意的是，一条细细的尘埃尾迹，不是典型的尘埃尾迹，也被看到延伸到坦普尔2号核的东部和西部。不像彗星的尘埃尾巴，它倾向于暂时向远离太阳的方向散开，这条尘埃尾巴是由于在这颗古老的周期性彗星的轨道平面上许多过去的轨道上残留的尘埃而形成的。事实上，当地球在7月20日穿过坦普尔2号彗星的轨道平面时，从我们的角度来看，坦普尔2号的尘埃轨迹可能会变得更窄更亮。彗星10P/Tempel 2将于8月2日到达近日点，并于8月3日最接近地球。
查看原文解释
Comet 10P/Tempel 2 orbits the Sun once every 5.4 years. Currently visible in binoculars or small telescopes toward the constellation Capricornus, the periodic comet is captured in this sharp telescopic image from July 11 sporting a bright nuclear region and pretty greenish coma. Remarkably, a thin dust trail, not a typical dust tail, is also seen extending both east and west of the Tempel 2 nucleus. Unlike a comet dust tail, which tends to temporarily fan out in a direction away from the Sun, this dust trail is due to the residual dust shed during many past orbits along this ancient periodic comet's orbital plane. In fact, Tempel 2's dust trail may get a little narrower and brighter from our perspective as Earth crosses through the comet's orbital plane on July 20. Comet 10P/Tempel 2 will reach a perihelion on August 2, and make its closest approach to Earth on August 3.
© Dan Bartlett