3200 Phaethon is a unique, near-Earth asteroid that acts like a comet, causing the Geminid meteor shower, and is the source of its debris. It's a "rock comet" that gets extremely hot as it nears the Sun, causing its surface to vaporize sodium gas, which creates a tail, unlike typical dusty comets. Classified as a potentially hazardous asteroid, it's about 5.8 km in diameter and has a highly elliptical orbit that brings it closer to the Sun than any other named asteroid.
Type: Apollo-class asteroid, also called a "rock comet" or "active asteroid".
Size: Approximately 5.8 km (3.6 miles) in diameter.
Orbit: Highly elliptical, bringing it closer to the Sun than any other named asteroid, where temperatures can reach 800° C (1472° F).
Discovery: Discovered in 1983 by NASA's IRAS satellite.
Name: Named after the Greek mythological figure Phaëthon, son of the sun god Helios, due to its unusual orbit.
Comet-like Activity: When it gets close to the Sun, it brightens and forms a tail, but recent studies show this tail is made of sodium gas, not dust.
Geminid Meteor Shower: It is the parent body of the Geminids, a major annual meteor shower in December.
Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA): Its orbit brings it close to Earth, but it poses no threat in the foreseeable future.
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