74P/Smirnova–Chernykh
Encke-type comet
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74P/Smirnova–Chernykh is an Encke-type comet with a 5:7 orbital resonance with Jupiter.[8] It is also classified as a quasi-Hilda comet.[9] It was discovered in late March 1975 by Tamara Mikhaylovna Smirnova while examining exposures from the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory.[10] In the discovery images the comet had an apparent magnitude of ~15.[10] In the year of discovery, the comet came to perihelion on 6 August 1975.[10]
Comet Smirnova–Chernykh near galaxy PGC 49413 on 25 January 2010 | |
| Discovery[1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Tamara M. Smirnova Nikolai S. Chernykh |
| Discovery site | Crimean Astrophysical Observatory |
| Discovery date | 4 March 1975 |
| Designations | |
| P/1967 EU, P/1975 E2 | |
| |
| Orbital characteristics[2][3] | |
| Epoch | 21 November 2025 (JD 2461000.5) |
| Observation arc | 58.95 years |
| Earliest precovery date | 9 March 1967 |
| Number of observations | 6,540 |
| Aphelion | 5.391 AU |
| Perihelion | 4.836 AU |
| Semi-major axis | 5.114 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.05432 |
| Orbital period | 11.56 years |
| Inclination | 6.015° |
| 51.724° | |
| Argument of periapsis | 59.702° |
| Mean anomaly | 348.44° |
| Last perihelion | 2 March 2026[4] |
| Next perihelion | 14 June 2034[5] |
| TJupiter | 3.007 |
| Earth MOID | 2.567 AU |
| Jupiter MOID | 0.479 AU |
| Physical characteristics[2] | |
Mean radius | 2.23 km (1.39 mi)[6] |
| Comet total magnitude (M1) | 6.7 |
| Comet nuclear magnitude (M2) | 12.1 |
| Perihelion distance at different epochs[7] | |||||||
| Epoch | Perihelion (AU) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1929 | 5.68 | ||||||
| 1967 | 3.55 | ||||||
| 2026 | 4.84 | ||||||
| 2034 | 3.84 | ||||||
The comet had been photographed during 1967, but was identified as an asteroid and assigned the designation 1967 EU.[11][12]
The comet is estimated at 4.46 km (2.77 mi) in diameter.[6]
A close approach to Jupiter in 2021 lifted perihelion from 3.54 AU to 4.84 AU.