155P/Shoemaker
Periodic comet
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Comet Shoemaker 3, also known as 155P/Shoemaker, is a periodic comet with a 17 year-long orbit around the Sun. It is one of 32 comets discovered by American astronomers, Carolyn and Eugene Shoemaker.
Discoverydate10 January 1986
P/1986 A1; P/2002 R2
Comet Shoemaker 3 photographed from the Zwicky Transient Facility on 25 November 2019 | |
| Discovery[1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Carolyn S. Shoemaker Eugene M. Shoemaker |
| Discovery site | Palomar Observatory |
| Discovery date | 10 January 1986 |
| Designations | |
| P/1986 A1; P/2002 R2 | |
| 1986a; 1985 XVIII[2] Shoemaker 3 | |
| Orbital characteristics[3][4] | |
| Epoch | 21 May 2011 (JD 2455702.5) |
| Observation arc | 12,550 days (34.36 years) |
| Number of observations | 1,966 |
| Aphelion | 11.38 AU |
| Perihelion | 1.806 AU |
| Semi-major axis | 6.594 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.72611 |
| Orbital period | 16.93 years |
| Inclination | 6.398° |
| 97.276° | |
| Argument of periapsis | 14.602° |
| Last perihelion | 15 November 2019 |
| Next perihelion | 22 September 2036 |
| TJupiter | 2.328 |
| Earth MOID | 0.825 AU |
| Jupiter MOID | 0.302 AU |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Comet total magnitude (M1) | 10.0 |
| 14.89 (2019 apparition) | |
Observational history
The comet was discovered from the Palomar Observatory on the night of 10 January 1986.[5] The Shoemakers' discovery was confirmed by Brian A. Skiff from the Lowell Observatory two days later.[1]
A series of possible outbursts occurred from the comet on October 2019, which has raised its maximum brightness to 14.89 during its most recent perihelion.[6]
