What is Comet Swift-Tuttle?
Q: What is Comet Swift-Tuttle?
A: Comet Swift-Tuttle is a periodic comet with an orbital period of 133 years.
Q: Does Comet Swift-Tuttle fit the definition of a Halley-type comet?
A: Yes, Comet Swift-Tuttle fits the classical definition of a Halley-type comet with a period between 20 and 200 years.
Q: Who discovered Comet Swift-Tuttle?
A: Comet Swift-Tuttle was independently discovered by Lewis Swift and Horace Parnell Tuttle in July 1862.
Q: What is the size of Comet Swift-Tuttle's nucleus?
A: Comet Swift-Tuttle has a comet nucleus 26 km in diameter.
Q: How bright was Comet Swift-Tuttle in 188 AD?
A: According to Chinese records, Comet Swift-Tuttle reached apparent magnitude 0.1 in 188 AD.
Q: How bright was Comet Swift-Tuttle in 1862?
A: In 1862, the comet was as bright as Polaris.
Q: What is the significance of Comet Swift-Tuttle in relation to the Perseid meteor shower?
A: Comet Swift-Tuttle is the parent body of the Perseid meteor shower, perhaps the best known shower and among the most reliable in performance.
