63P/Wild
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Semi-major axis 5.5906 AU | | |
Eccentricity | 0.6509 | |
---|---|---|
Orbital period | 13.21 yr | |
Inclination | 19.7799° | |
Last perihelion | 2013-Apr-10 | |
Next perihelion | 2026-Jul-06[1] |
63P/Wild is a periodic comet in the Solar System with a current orbital period of 13.21 years.
It was first detected by Paul Wild at the Zimmerwald Observatory of the Astronomical Institute of Bern, Switzerland on a photographic plate exposed on 26 March 1960, who estimated its brightness at a magnitude of 14.3. Its elliptical orbit was then calculated to have an orbital period of 13.17 years.[2]
Its predicted reappearance in 1973 was observed by Elizabeth Roemer of the U.S. Naval Observatory, Flagstaff, Arizona at a magnitude of 17.5. Although not found in 1986 it was rediscovered in 1999 with a magnitude of around 12. The 2013 return was moderately favourable with magnitude again around 12.
The nucleus of the comet has a radius of 1.46 ± 0.03 kilometers, assuming a geometric albedo of 0.04.[3]
See also
References
- ^ MPC
- ^ "63P/Wild 1". Retrieved 10 December 2014.
- S2CID 125249770.
Numbered comets | ||
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Previous 62P/Tsuchinshan |
63P/Wild | Next 64P/Swift–Gehrels |
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