Comets are the most beautiful celestial bodies that people can observe even without binoculars or a telescope. When a comet appears in the sky, it immediately attracts everyone's attention. Someone believes that at that moment a star fell and it's time to make a wish. There are also superstitious people who believe that the approach of a comet marks the coming catastrophes, illnesses and other misfortunes that threaten all of humanity.
Meanwhile, the comet is just nice to admire at night. A bright halo surrounding the comet's nucleus, a long tail stretching half the sky, an unexpected appearance and high speed fascinate earthly observers, making them admire this mysterious and elusive cosmic beauty.
Encke's comet and its discovery
Comet 2P/Encke has been observed by earthlings since 1786 to the present. It was discovered at different times by many astronomers, but it was named after the German scientistJohann Franz Encke, who was the first to calculate its orbit. The astronomer conducted a comparative analysis of the movement of several comets and found that we are talking about one celestial body. The publication of his astronomical works took place in 1819, in which he accurately predicted the appearance of a comet in 1822.
The symbol "P" in the official designation of the comet indicates that it is a periodic comet, that is, belonging to our solar system. 2P/Encke has a period of less than two hundred years.
Comet, its nature and movement
Encke's comet does not have large stellar dimensions. Its diameter, according to the latest space research data, is 4.8 km. Comet 2P/Encke, like any other comet, is a cold, non-luminous body. It begins to glow and becomes visible only when it comes close to the Sun.
Encke's comet is the shortest-period comet, its period of revolution is 3.3 years. Its movement is quite orderly and easily predictable, because, moving, it is guided by nearby planets.
When the most observable comet, Encke, approaches our star called the Sun and undergoes an elevated temperature regime, its gases change from solid to gaseous. The brighter the glow of the comet, the more gases are released and the higher their rate of release from the nucleus. Therefore, the closer the comet is to the Sun, the more noticeable its brilliance, and vice versa, thethe further the comet moves away from the Sun, the less noticeable the glow of gases in the comet. As a comet approaches the Sun, its luminosity increases. A comet's head is always brighter than its tail.
Goodbye, see you soon
Encke's comet returns to us quite often. It was last seen in the sky with binoculars or a telescope during the whole of February and March 2017. It could also be observed without any special optical aids. During this period, Comet Encke made its 63rd visit and could be observed by looking at the constellation Pisces.
Thus, Comet Encke boasts a record number of returns, and despite the fact that its brilliance is gradually fading, the inhabitants of the Earth are looking forward to the appearance of the tailed cosmic beauty in 2020.
