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Rotation and precession of comet Halley

Abstract

Measurements obtained during the recent appearance of comet Halley suggest that its nucleus undergoes free and forced precession motions. Periodicities of 2.2 and 7.4 days can be explained by a 2.2-day rotation about the minor axis and a free-precessional period of 14.8 days.

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Wilhelm, K. Rotation and precession of comet Halley. Nature 327, 27–30 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1038/327027a0

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