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periodic comet

vr.tr.periodic-comet · thing-q11416914

Let an agent describe periodic comets by designation, orbit, return dates, brightness predictions and observation, with sourced ephemerides.

Thing Registry Physical world and living systems PHY.SPC
Bundle → Layer → Finding → QuestionsClassifiersWhat it isWhy it existsDistinguishing featuresWhat robots and AI may and may not doMoral aspectsOwnersLinks to other meta-modelsIdentity and identifiersDirect propertiesRecognitionCapabilities and actionsHazards and failure modesStandards and interfacesContext of useSources

Bundle → Layer → Finding → Questions Filled

4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions

Identity Which comet.

Designation

Name and number.

Designation

Designation.

  1. What is the comet designation and discoverer? provenance
  2. Which family does it belong to? definition

Orbit

Elements.

Orbit

Orbit.

  1. What are its period and perihelion distance? measurement
  2. From which orbit solution? provenance
Return Next apparition.

Perihelion

Date.

Perihelion

Next perihelion.

  1. When is the next perihelion? provenance
  2. How reliable is the prediction? boundary

Brightness

Magnitude.

Brightness

Brightness forecast.

  1. What brightness is forecast, and how uncertain is it? measurement
  2. Will it need binoculars or a telescope? boundary
Observing Seeing it.

Where

Sky position.

Where

Sky position.

  1. Where in the sky is it on this date? provenance
  2. Which ephemeris service shows it? provenance

Report

Observations.

Report

Reporting observations.

  1. How can observations or images be submitted? action
  2. Which organisation collects them? provenance
Science Physics.

Composition

Ices and dust.

Composition

Composition.

  1. What is known about its composition? provenance
  2. Has a spacecraft visited it? provenance

Meteor showers

Debris.

Meteor showers

Associated meteor showers.

  1. Is it the parent of a meteor shower? provenance
  2. When does the shower peak? provenance

Classifiers Filled

Family
Thing Registry
Category
Physical world and living systems
Entry kind
thing
Plane
PHY
Domain
PHY.SPC
Other names and narrower kinds
Chiron-type comet, Encke-type comet, Halley-type comet, Jupiter-family comet, 350P/McNaught, quasi-Hilda comet

What it is Filled

A comet with a stable orbit and an orbital period of less than 200 years, designated with a P; groups include Jupiter-family, Encke-type, Halley-type and Chiron-type comets.

Why it exists Filled

Let an agent describe periodic comets by designation, orbit, return dates, brightness predictions and observation, with sourced ephemerides.

Distinguishing features Filled

  • Returns regularly
  • Numbered P designations
  • Brightness is hard to predict
  • Often perturbed by Jupiter

What robots and AI may and may not do Filled

Must not

  • Spread false claims that a comet will strike Earth or cause disasters.
  • Report a new comet discovery before it is confirmed by the designating body.
  • Assign or alter official comet designations.

Only with a human decision

  • Announcing a possible discovery or close approach to the public.

May

  • Report orbits, designations and apparitions of periodic comets from official catalogues.
  • Help observers plan sightings with published ephemerides.

Moral aspects Filled

  • Comet scares have caused panic and been used for fraud.

Who is affected

  • The public
  • Amateur and professional astronomers

Owners Filled

Steward

Nobody owns them; the international astronomical bodies assign designations and keep orbit records.

Master systems

  • Minor Planet Center orbit databases

Links to other meta-models Filled

parent

  • Q138568992 - registry parent class

related

  • comet - category
  • Minor Planet Center - authority
  • Halley's Comet - example
  • long-period comet - other class

What else AI and robots need to interact with it Filled

Identity and identifiers required Filled

  • Vercy registry: vr.tr.periodic-comet
  • Wikidata: Q11416914 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11416914)
  • MPC comet designation: nP/Name periodic comets

Direct properties required Filled

  • orbital period: under 200 years - definition

Recognition required Filled

  • Designations such as 1P/Halley or 2P/Encke
  • Coma and tail near perihelion
  • Long-period comets use C/ designations
  • A fuzzy coma with or without a tail, seen through binoculars or telescopes; rarely naked-eye.

Capabilities and actions required Filled

  • look up designations and periods
  • find next perihelion and visibility
  • distinguish comet families
  • report observations to databases

Hazards and failure modes required Filled

  • Overpromising brightness
  • Using outdated ephemerides

Standards and interfaces required Filled

  • IAU comet naming rules

Context of use required Filled

  • Solar system science and public observing.
  • Jupiter-family comets
  • Encke-type comets
  • Halley-type comets
  • Chiron-type comets
  • quasi-Hilda comets

Sources Filled

  1. Wikidata item Q11416914: periodic comet - identity and sense of the item
  2. Wikipedia: Periodic comet - general description of the item

Open questions

  • Should comet families be separate entries?
  • How should ephemerides be linked?
  • How should brightness forecasts be qualified?

Machine files

Card as JSON Specification Card backlog vercy.card/1

Provenance

thing registry research (pass 2) · unreviewed

Built from: models/things/publications/thing-q11416914/spec.json