31P/Schwassmann–Wachmann
Periodic comet with 8 year orbit
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
31P/Schwassmann–Wachmann, also known as Schwassmann–Wachmann 2, is a periodic comet in the Solar System. It was discovered on 17 January 1929, at an apparent magnitude of 11.[7] The comet has been seen at every apparition.
Discoverydate17 January 1929
P/1929 B1, P/1934 X1[1]
- 1929 I, 1935 III, 1942 I
- 1948 VII, 1955 I, 1961 VII
- 1968 II, 1974 XIII, 1981 VI
- 1987 XIX, 1994 II
Comet Schwassmann–Wachmann 2 observed on 14 February 2011 | |
| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Arnold Schwassmann Arno Arthur Wachmann |
| Discovery date | 17 January 1929 |
| Designations | |
| P/1929 B1, P/1934 X1[1] | |
| |
| Orbital characteristics[2][3] | |
| Epoch | March 6, 2006 |
| Aphelion | 5.048 AU |
| Perihelion | 3.416 AU |
| Semi-major axis | 4.232 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.1928 |
| Orbital period | 8.705 a |
| Inclination | 4.5487° |
| Last perihelion | 6 July 2019 |
| Next perihelion | 19 March 2028 |
| Physical characteristics[2] | |
Mean diameter | 6.2 km (3.9 mi)[4] |
Mean density | 0.46 g/cm3[5] |
| 5.58±0.03 hours[6] | |
| Comet total magnitude (M1) | 7.2 |
| Comet nuclear magnitude (M2) | 14.0 |
The comet nucleus is estimated to be 6.2 km (3.9 mi) in diameter.[2] In 1929, the astronomer Anne Sewell Young identified the comet with an object that had been misidentified as the minor planet "Adelaide" (A904 EB).[8]
