29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 |
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Past, Present, and Future Orbits by Kazuo Kinoshita |
![]() This image was obtained by the Spitzer Space Telescope, which is an infrared telescope launched in August of 2003. The image was obtained in the 24 micron range by the multiband imaging photometer. It "shows thermal infrared emission from the dusty coma and tail of the comet." The image measures 24.3 arc minutes wide and 15.9 arc minutes tall. The observers were Dale Cruikshank, Principal Investigator (NASA Ames Research Center), John Stansberry, Principal Investigator (University of Arizona), William Reach (SSC/Caltech), Yanga Fernandez (University of Hawaii), Michael Werner (JPL/Caltech), George Rieke (University of Arizona), Vikki Meadows (JPL & SSC/Caltech) Discovery Arnold Schwassmann and Arno Arthur Wachmann (Hamburg Observatory, Bergedorf, Germany) discovered this comet on photographs exposed on November 15, 1927. Then near magnitude 13.5, the comet proceeded to fade very rapidly during the next few days with estimates of 15 on November 28 and 16 by December 1. Historical Highlights
Additional Images ![]() Copyright © 1996 by Toru Yusa (Kogota, Japan)
This image was taken on 1996 March 28.64, using a 0.20-m f/5.9 Meade LX200 Schmidt-Cassegrain and an SBIG ST-6 CCD camera.
![]() Copyright © 1997 by Herman Mikuz (Crni Vrh Observatory, Slovenia)
This series of images was obtained early in 1996 using a 36-cm, f/6.8 S-C telescope and CCD. Each image was a 300-second exposure. The left and center images, obtained on January 18 and February 24, respectively, show an outburst in progress. The right-hand image was obtained on March 10 and shows the outburst subsiding.
![]() Copyright © 1997 by Akimasa Nakamura (Kuma Kogen Astronomical Observatory, Japan)
These three images were taken by A. Nakamura during an outburst during April of 1997. The image of April 12.60 shows the outburst in progress. That of April 28.59 shows the comet near maximum brightness. The image of May 9.55 shows the outburst subsiding. The images were obtained with a 0.60-m f/6 Ritchey-Chretien telescope and a CCD camera.
![]() Copyright © 2003 by Gerald Rhemann and Michael Jäger (Austria)
This image was obtained by G. Rhemann and M. Jäger on 2003 July 26.025. It shows the comet undergoing one of its fairly frequent outbursts in brightness. Interestingly, the image also shows a tail, which is a feature rarely seen for this comet. Rhemann and Jäger estimated the comet's magnitude as 12 and the coma diameter as 4 arc minutes. The tail extends 12 arc minutes toward PA 215°. The image was obtained with a 14-inch reflector and a Starlight SXV-H9 CCD camera. Three 210-second exposures were combined.
![]() Copyright © 2003 by R. Ligustri (Talmassons, Italy)
This image was obtained on 2003 September 17.81 UT with the 350/1750 reflector and an SBIG ST9E CCD camera. Ten 240-second exposures were combined. The image covers a field measuring 16' by 16'. North is toward the top, while east is to the left.
![]() Copyright © 2004 by Gianluca Masi and Franco Mallia (Italy)
This image was obtained on 2004 June 23.36 UT with the 14-inch SoTIe telescope (Las Campanas, Chile). They stacked three 60-second images, which revealed a coma 50" across and a jet extending 20" toward PA 45°. The field of view is 6.5' by 6.5'. |