73P/Schwassmann–Wachmann
73P/Schwassmann–Wachmann, also known as Schwassmann–Wachmann 3 or SW3 for short, is a periodic comet that has a 5.4 year orbital period and that has been actively disintegrating since 1995. When it came to perihelion (closest approach to the Sun) in March 2017, fragment 73P-BT was separating from the main fragment 73P-C. Fragments 73P-BU and 73P-BV were detected in July 2022. The main comet came to perihelion on 25 August 2022, when the comet was 0.97 AU from the Sun and 1 AU from Earth. It will be less than 80 degrees from the Sun from 25 May 2022 until August 2023. On 3 April 2025 it made a
Key facts
- Comet.name
- 73P/Schwassmann–Wachmann
- Comet.image
- 260px|Schwassmann–Wachmann 3
- Comet.discoverer
- Arnold SchwassmannArno Arthur Wachmann
- Comet.discovery_date
- May 2, 1930
- Comet.designations
- 1930 VI; 1979 VIII;1990 VIII; 1994w
- Comet.epoch
- 2017-Feb-16(JD 2457800.5)
- Comet.dimensions
- 2.2 km (pre-1995 breakup)~1 km (73P-C)
- Comet.aphelion
- 5.211 AU
- Comet.perihelion
- 0.9722 AU(0.9187 AU after 2025 Jupiter approach)
- Comet.semimajor
- 3.092 AU
- Comet.eccentricity
- 0.6855
- Comet.period
- 5.44 yr
Article
11 sectionsContents
- Observational history
- Discovery
- Breakup
- Orbit
- Physical characteristics
- Exploration
- Meteor shower
- Image gallery
- See also
- References
- External links
73P/Schwassmann–Wachmann, also known as Schwassmann–Wachmann 3 or SW3 for short, is a periodic comet that has a 5.4 year orbital period and that has been actively disintegrating since 1995. When it came to perihelion (closest approach to the Sun) in March 2017, fragment 73P-BT was separating from the main fragment 73P-C. Fragments 73P-BU and 73P-BV were detected in July 2022. The main comet came to perihelion on 25 August 2022, when the comet was 0.97 AU from the Sun and 1 AU from Earth. It will be less than 80 degrees from the Sun from 25 May 2022 until August 2023. On 3 April 2025 it made a modest approach of 0.3 AU to Jupiter. 73P will next come to perihelion on 23 December 2027 when it will be 0.92 AU from the Sun and on the far side of the Sun 1.9 AU from Earth.
== Observational history == === Discovery === Comet Schwassmann–Wachmann 3 was one of the comets discovered by astronomers Arnold Schwassmann and Arno Arthur Wachmann, working at the Hamburg Observatory in Bergedorf, Germany. The comet was discovered as the astronomers were exposing photographic plates in search of new asteroids for a minor planet survey, on 2 May 1930. On 31 May 1930 the comet passed about from Earth. The comet was lost after its 1930 apparition as the 1935 apparition had poor viewing geometry, but was recovered in 1979. During perihelion in 1985, the comet was unobserved as it was on the far side of the Sun 1.9 AU from Earth. In 1990 the comet reached apparent magnitude 9 and was the best appearance since 1930.