- #1
Felix83
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Use the following data to calculate the speed vp of comet Halley at perihelion. Comet Halley orbits the Sun with a period of 76 years and in 1986 had a distance of closest approach of 8.90×1010 m and an aphelion distance of 5.30×1012 m.
I'm stumped so far on this one. I'm assuming the closest approach distance is useless info thrown in there. I know I could use keplers law of periods to find what the perihelion distance is, and I know that angular momentum is constant, so I could find the velocity at aphelion if I knew vp, but I can't figure out how to get vp.
I'm stumped so far on this one. I'm assuming the closest approach distance is useless info thrown in there. I know I could use keplers law of periods to find what the perihelion distance is, and I know that angular momentum is constant, so I could find the velocity at aphelion if I knew vp, but I can't figure out how to get vp.