6344 P-L
Encyclopedia
6344 P–L is a small Solar System body
which was discovered in 1960 by asteroid searchers Tom Gehrels
, Ingrid van Houten-Groeneveld
, and Cornelis Johannes van Houten
. Last seen in 1960, it was thought to be missing but then later rediscovered in 2007 as (also written 2007 RR9). In other words, it was a lost asteroid from 1960 until it was recovered in 2007. P–L stands for Palomar–Leiden, for Palomar Observatory
and Leiden Observatory
.
It is either an asteroid and dormant comet nucleus, and it has a 4.7 year orbit around the Sun. The orbit goes out as far as Jupiter's but then back in, passing as close as 0.07 AU to the Earth, making it a collision risk.
6344 P–L is a potentially hazardous object
and probably a dormant comet, although it was not outgassing at the time of its recovery.
Small Solar System body
A small Solar System body is an object in the Solar System that is neither a planet nor a dwarf planet, nor a satellite of a planet or dwarf planet:...
which was discovered in 1960 by asteroid searchers Tom Gehrels
Tom Gehrels
Tom Gehrels , was an American astronomer, Professor Planetary Sciences, and Astronomer at the University of Arizona, Tucson....
, Ingrid van Houten-Groeneveld
Ingrid van Houten-Groeneveld
Ingrid van Houten-Groeneveld is a Dutch astronomer.In a jointly-credited trio with Tom Gehrels and her husband Cornelis Johannes van Houten, she was an extremely prolific discoverer of many thousands of asteroids...
, and Cornelis Johannes van Houten
Cornelis Johannes van Houten
Cornelis Johannes van Houten was a Dutch astronomer, sometimes referred to as Kees van Houten.Born in The Hague, he spent his entire career at Leiden University except for a brief period as research assistant at Yerkes Observatory...
. Last seen in 1960, it was thought to be missing but then later rediscovered in 2007 as (also written 2007 RR9). In other words, it was a lost asteroid from 1960 until it was recovered in 2007. P–L stands for Palomar–Leiden, for Palomar Observatory
Palomar Observatory
Palomar Observatory is a privately owned observatory located in San Diego County, California, southeast of Pasadena's Mount Wilson Observatory, in the Palomar Mountain Range. At approximately elevation, it is owned and operated by the California Institute of Technology...
and Leiden Observatory
Leiden Observatory
Leiden Observatory is an astronomical observatory in the city of Leiden, Netherlands. It was established by Leiden University in 1633, to house the quadrant of Snellius, and is the oldest operating University observatory in the world Leiden Observatory (Sterrewacht Leiden in Dutch) is an...
.
It is either an asteroid and dormant comet nucleus, and it has a 4.7 year orbit around the Sun. The orbit goes out as far as Jupiter's but then back in, passing as close as 0.07 AU to the Earth, making it a collision risk.
6344 P–L is a potentially hazardous object
Potentially Hazardous Object
A potentially hazardous object is an asteroid or comet with an orbit such that it has the potential to make close approaches to the Earth and a size large enough to cause significant regional damage in the event of impact....
and probably a dormant comet, although it was not outgassing at the time of its recovery.