Astronomy: General

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Toutatis

A Dictionary of Astronomy | 1997 | Copyright

Toutatis Asteroid 4179, a member of the Apollo group, discovered in 1989 by the French astronomer Christian Pollas (1947– ). At present, Toutatis can approach to within 0.006 AU (900 000 km) of the Earth's orbit. Of the largest near-Earth asteroids, Toutatis is perhaps the most potentially dangerous to the Earth in the foreseeable future, because of its frequent approaches plus a 3 : 1 resonance with Jupiter which makes the orbit chaotic. Radar observations show that it consists of two irregular, cratered bodies in close contact, with maximum widths of about 4.6 km and 2.4 km, respectively. Its orbit has a semimajor axis of 2.511 AU, period 3.98 years, perihelion 0.92 AU, aphelion 4.10 AU, and inclination 0 °.5.

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Toutatis

A Dictionary of Earth Sciences | 1999 | | Copyright

Toutatis A solar system asteroid (No. 4179), measuring 4.6 × 2.4 × 1.9km; approximate mass 10¹³kg; rotational period irregular; orbital period 1.1 years. It is a double object, its two components probably in contact, one estimated to be 2.5 km in diameter and the other 1.5 km. On 29 September 2004 Toutatis will reach its closest approach to Earth, at a distance of about 1.5 million km.

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AILSA ALLABY and MICHAEL ALLABY. "Toutatis." A Dictionary of Earth Sciences. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

AILSA ALLABY and MICHAEL ALLABY. "Toutatis." A Dictionary of Earth Sciences. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O13-Toutatis.html

AILSA ALLABY and MICHAEL ALLABY. "Toutatis." A Dictionary of Earth Sciences. 1999. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O13-Toutatis.html

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