How fast do the nuclei of comets rotate?

Observations of Halley's comet by the Vega and Gioto spacecraft, as well as ground based studies in the 1980's showed two nuclear rotation periods of this potato-shaped comet nucleus. A 2.2 - 2.4 day period, and a 7.4 day period. Not enough is really known about other comets to unambiguously determine a rotation period, but their periods are most likely the same...to within an order of magnitude!!!!


Copyright 1997 Dr. Sten Odenwald
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