86P/Wild

86P/Wild

Discovery
Discovered by	Paul Wild at Zimmerwald Observatory, Switzerland
Discovery date	April 1980
Orbital characteristics ^A
Epoch	27 June 2015
Aphelion	4.942 AU
Perihelion	2.2635 AU
Semi-major axis	3.6043 AU
Eccentricity	0.3719
Orbital period	6.84 yr
Inclination	15.47°
Last perihelion	3 April 2015 [1]
Next perihelion	2022

86P/Wild (pronounced 86P/Vilt) is a periodic comet in the Solar System with a current orbital period of 6.84 years. ^[2]

It was discovered on photographic plates exposed on 11/12 April 1980 by Paul Wild of the Astronomical Institute of University of Bern, Switzerland at the nearby Zimmerwald Observatory. He reported the brightness at a magnitude of 15.5 and that the comet was diffuse. He rediscovered it on 7 May 1980 and calculations by Brian G. Marsden estimated that perihelion would take place on 6 October 1980.

Syuichi Nakano calculated the next perihelion would be 31 August 1987 and the comet was duly observed by Tom Gehrels and J. V. Scotti on the Spacewatch telescope at Kitt Peak Observatory, Arizona, USA. Perihelion was actually 1 September.

The same team re-observed it in 1994 with a faint brightness of magnitude 21. It has since been observed in 2001, 2008 and 2015.

See also

List of numbered comets

References

1. "86p/Wild 3". Retrieved 14 April 2015.
2. "86P/Wild 3". Gary Kronk. Retrieved 14 April 2015.