81P/Wild 2

Japanese version
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Updated on September 27, 2020

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* Profile

Kazuo Kinoshita's calculation revealed that it passed extremely close by Jupiter in 1974, and the perihelion distance reduced from 4.9 A.U. down to 1.5 A.U. It was discovered in 1978 when it came close to the sun for the first time. It will pass near by Jupiter again in 2058, then the perihelion distance increases a bit up to 1.8 A.U.

The brightening before the perihelion passage is rapid. It reaches the maximum brightness about 1 month before the perihelion passage. Then it fades out rapidly for about 4 months. But after that, it turns to be fading slowly.

The light curves were similar in 1990 and 2003. But in 1997, it became brighter around the perihelion passage.

* Returns and Appearances

!Discovered *Appeared -Not observed #Appeared before discovery +Not observed before discovery .Returns in the future
* 81P
2022 Dec. 15
* 81P
2016 July 20
* 81P
2010 Feb. 22
* 81P
2003 Sept.25
* 81P
1997 May 6
* 81P
1990 Dec. 16
* 81P/1983 S1
1984 Aug. 20
! 81P/1978 A1
1978 June 15

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The perihelion dates in the past appearances are printed on Catalog of Cometary Orbits 1996.
Information on the discovery and historical highlights are available at General Comet Info (Gary W. Kronk).
Orbital elements in the past and future are calculated by Kazuo Kinoshita (http://www9.ocn.ne.jp/~comet/pcmtn/0081p.htm).

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Copyright(C) Seiichi Yoshida (comet@aerith.net). All rights reserved.