Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1
Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 Sky Charts and Coordinates
This is a simplified sky chart, showing where Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 is now with respect to the brightest stars and constellations.
More advanced sky charts are available on TheSkyLive for this object: 1) the Online Planetarium which is interactive and allows to select dates and additional objects to visualize; and 2) the Live Position and Data Tracker which provides the highest precision position data and features deep sky imagery from the Digitized Sky Survey.
High Precision Live Sky Chart
The Observed Magnitude and Coma Diameter values are derived from the Comet Observers Database by averaging the values reported in recent observations (more recent than 4 days), when available. The Estimated Magnitude comes from the JPL Horizons ephemerides service and might be inaccurate given the highly dynamic and unpredictable behvior of comets. When available please refer to the Observed Magnitude value and consider the Estimated Magnitude as a directional indication. We acknowledge with thanks the comet observations from the COBS Comet Observation Database contributed by observers worldwide and used in this table to report recent comet observations.
Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 Rise and Set Times
Today's Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 rise, transit and set times from Greenwich, United Kingdom [change]. All times are relative to the Europe/London timezone.
Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 Orbit Diagram
This 3d orbit diagram is a feature of our 3D Solar System Simulator and shows the orbit of Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 with respect of the Sun and the orbits of the major planets. The position of Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 and the planets along their orbits in this diagram accurately represents the current configuration of the objects in the Solar System. This is an experimental feature and it requires a WebGL enabled browser. Please provide us feedback!
View Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 in the 3D Solar System Simulator
Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 Ephemeris
The following table lists the ephemerides of Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 computed for the past and next 7 days, with a 24 hours interval. Click on each row of the table to locate Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 in our Online Planetarium at the chosen date.
| Date | Right AscensionR.A. | DeclinationDec. | MagnitudeMag | Constellation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Dec 08 | 22h 49m 13s | -00° 47’ 30” | 15.01 | Aquarius |
| 2018 Dec 09 | 22h 49m 31s | -00° 46’ 08” | 15.02 | Aquarius |
| 2018 Dec 10 | 22h 49m 50s | -00° 44’ 42” | 15.03 | Aquarius |
| 2018 Dec 11 | 22h 50m 09s | -00° 43’ 11” | 15.03 | Aquarius |
| 2018 Dec 12 | 22h 50m 30s | -00° 41’ 38” | 15.04 | Aquarius |
| 2018 Dec 13 | 22h 50m 52s | -00° 40’ 00” | 15.04 | Aquarius |
| 2018 Dec 14 | 22h 51m 12s | -00° 38’ 20” | 15.05 | Aquarius |
| 2018 Dec 15 | 22h 51m 34s | -00° 36’ 34” | 15.06 | Pisces |
| 2018 Dec 16 | 22h 51m 57s | -00° 34’ 46” | 15.06 | Pisces |
| 2018 Dec 17 | 22h 52m 20s | -00° 32’ 53” | 15.07 | Pisces |
| 2018 Dec 18 | 22h 52m 44s | -00° 30’ 59” | 15.07 | Pisces |
| 2018 Dec 19 | 22h 53m 08s | -00° 28’ 59” | 15.08 | Pisces |
| 2018 Dec 20 | 22h 53m 32s | -00° 26’ 57” | 15.09 | Pisces |
| 2018 Dec 21 | 22h 53m 57s | -00° 24’ 51” | 15.09 | Pisces |
Distance of Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 from Earth
The following chart shows the distance of Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 from Earth as a function of time. Distance data is measured in Astronomical Units and sampled with a 2 days interval.
The reported distances might be inaccurate around the times of closest approach for objects passing extremely close to Earth. The value of the distance of 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 is also available as a real time updated value in the Live Position and Data Tracker.
Light Curve of Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1
The following chart is the predicted light curve (visual magnitude as a function of time) of Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1, according to the most recent ephemerides data. Magnitude data is sampled with a 2 days interval and there might be inaccuracies for objects changing brightness very rapidly during the course of a few days. For comets there could be large discrepancies between the observed and predicted brightness because of their highly dynamic behaviour.
Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 Orbital Elements
The following table lists the orbital elements of Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 at epoch 18 January 2010 00:00 UTC (JD: 2455215.5). Source: JPL Small-Body Database
| Element | Symbol | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Orbit eccentricity | e | 0.04513634 |
| Orbit inclination | i | 9.39282040° |
| Perihelion distance | q | 5.71884856 AU 855,527,568 km |
| Aphelion distance | Q |
6.25950767 AU 936,409,020 km |
| Semi-major axis | a |
5.98917811 AU 895,968,294 km |
| Orbital period | period |
14.6600 years 5,353.6413 days |
| Date of perihelion transit | Tp | 2004-Jul-09 14:20:57 2,453,196.0979 JD |
| Next perihelion transit | 2019-Mar-07 05:44 2,458,549.7392 JD |
|
| Argument of perihelion | peri | 48.80230746109° |
| Longitude of the ascending node | node | 312.6340832039° |
| Mean anomaly | M | 135.79257914843° |
| Mean motion | n | 0.06724395°/day |
| Closest approach to Earth* | 2034-Oct-13 | |
| Distance of closest approach* | 4.72586022 AU 706,978,627 km |
|
* NOTE: values for the closest approach are computed for the time interval between 2013-Jan-01 and 2075-Dec-31, with a sampling interval of 1 day.