96P sungrazer family

96P Sungrazer Family: A Fascinating Group of Solar-Grazing Comets

Welcome to our exploration of the intriguing world of the 96P sungrazer family! This unique group of comets, born from the comet 96P/Machholz, has captured the attention of astronomers since its discovery.

Origins and Subgroups

The 96P sungrazers are a small but significant family, observed primarily by LASCO corongraphs onboard the SOHO (Solar and Heliospheric Observatory) probe. They consist of three subgroups: Marsden, Kracht, and Kracht II. The Marsden group was first identified by British astronomer Brian G. Marsden in 2002, followed by the discovery of the Kracht I and II subgroups by Rainer Kracht.

It is believed that these comets are fragments that detached from the Macholz comet around 800 to 1,200 years ago. Their orbits share similarities with the parent body, but they have slightly different gravitational interactions with Jupiter and lower perihelion distances, as well as inclinations.

Characteristics and Behavior

The 96P type is a rare group, accounting for only 3% of all comets observed by SOHO. These objects appear roughly every six years, often in clusters of two or more, with one following another within just a few days. At their brightest, they can reach apparent magnitude 5, although typically, they are around 7 to 8 magnitudes. Peak brightness usually occurs a few hours after perihelion.

One notable characteristic of these comets is their fragmentation during passes near the Sun, creating smaller objects. Sadly, it’s speculated that the 96P complex will likely become extinct in the near future.

Size and Future

The exact size range of these sungrazers isn’t well known, but they are thought to be larger than comets from the Kreutz group, which typically measure a few tens of meters wide. Despite their impending demise, studying these comets offers valuable insights into the nature of celestial bodies and the solar system as a whole.

Stay tuned for more exciting discoveries in the vast cosmos we call home!

Comet 96P/Machholz: https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/comets-asteroids/comet-96p-machholz/overview/ LASCO Coronagraphs: https://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/cor3/lasco.html Discovery of Marsden subgroup: https://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0112168 Announcement of Marsden subgroup: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2002IAUC.7994Q Discovery of Kracht I and II subgroups: https://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0310635 Announcement of Kracht I and II subgroups: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2004IAUC.8119Q