NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Damocloid

Damocloids are asteroids such as 5335 Damocles and (16746) 1996 PW that have long-period highly eccentric orbits typical of periodic comets such as 1P/Halley, but without showing a cometary coma or tail.

The object 2001 OG₁₀₈ was thought to be a Damocloid, but as it approached perihelion it began to display cometary activity and was thus renamed Comet C/2001 OG108 (LONEOS).

They are believed to originate from the Oort cloud.

External link

List of Damocloids (ftp://ftp.lowell.edu/pub/bas/damocloid)

The Minor Planets

Vulcanoids | Main belt | Groups and Families | Near-Earth objects | Jupiter Trojans

(For other objects and regions, see: Binary asteroids, Asteroid moons and the Solar system)

(For a complete listing, see: List of asteroids)

Categories: Astronomy stubs | Asteroid groups and families

Results from FactBites:

Damocloid family (157 words)
	Because of this similarity, it is thought that Damocloids may be the dark remains of old comets.
	The prototype of the group, (5335) Damocles, was discovered in 1991 by Robert McNaught (1956-) at the Anglo-Australian Observatory and named for a courtier of the ancient tyrant Dionysus I (The Elder) of Syracuse who lived in the fourth century BC.
	Another suspected Damocloid, asteroid 2001 OG108, discovered in July 2001, has an orbit that takes it from just inside Earths orbit out as far as Uranus.

More results at FactBites »

COMMENTARY

Share your thoughts, questions and commentary here

Want to know more?
Search encyclopedia, statistics and forums:

Feeds | Contact
The Wikipedia article included on this page is licensed under the GFDL.
Images may be subject to relevant owners' copyright.
All other elements are (c) copyright NationMaster.com 2003-5. All Rights Reserved.
Usage implies agreement with terms.