Comet Thatcher
Comet Thatcher is a comet orbiting Sol, out sun, every 415 years.[1] Its last close approach to the inner Solar system was in 1861. Its perihelion is 110 austronomical units.
The Lyrid meteor shower is believed to be made up of debris from Comet Thatcher, and thus following a very similar orbit.[1] Unlike older meteor showers, were observers can see roughly the same average number of meteors, every year, the Lyrid meteor showers fluctuate in the number of meteors seen, on a rougly 60 year cycle.
References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ 1.0 1.1
"The Lyrid meteor shower in 2027 peaks April 22". EarthSky. Archived from the original on 2013-04-07. Retrieved 2026-06-08.
Most meteor showers are caused by debris from a passing comet. For the Lyrids, the comet is named Comet Thatcher.