Comet
2P/Encke
The comet with the shortest known period: it circles the Sun every 3.3 years. It is the main source of the Taurid meteor showers (Southern and Northern Taurids) in October–November; its broad dust stream is famous for "Halloween fireballs".
| Type | Comet |
|---|---|
| Parent body | Sun |
| Radius | 2 km · 3.77 × 10⁻⁴ R⊕ |
| Mass | 9.200 × 10¹³ kg · 1.54 × 10⁻¹¹ M⊕ |
| Mean density | 1.59 g/cm³ |
| Rotation period | 11.1 hours |
| Orbital radius | 2.22 AU (Sun) |
| Eccentricity | 0.847 |
| Orbital period | 3.3 years |
| Discovery | 1786, P. Méchain; period 1819, J. F. Encke |
| Period | 3.3 years |
| Meteor shower | Taurids (October–November) |