Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann is a periodic comet discovered on November 15, 1927 by German astronomers Arnold Schwassmann and Arno Wachmann. It is also known as Comet Schwassmann–Wachmann 1. It moves along a low eccentricity orbit between Jupiter and Saturn, that takes it from a perihelion distance of 5.8 astronomical units (AU) from the Sun to an aphelion distance of 6.3 AU. It completes one orbit around the Sun every 14.9 years. Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann is also known for its unpredictable outbursts which, in the space of few hours, can cause it to brighten significantly, up to 5 magnitudes.
Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann Position Calculator
Compute the position of Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann for any date and time between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2099 and visualize the results on an interactive sky map.
In Evidence
Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann
Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann is in the constellation of
Leo,
at a distance of
Finder Charts
View interactive star map
High precision deep sky finder chart, 60 arcmin wide, showing where Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann is right now. Click on the image to see a more detailed fullscreen tracker view.
Also check out Where is Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann?, a page that provides all the information needed to find Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann in the sky and additional links to sky charts.
Celestial Coordinates
Apparent
J2000
Additional Information
The observed values of Magnitude, Coma Diameter and Tail Length are derived from the most recent observation recorded at the Comet Observers Database. The value of Predicted Magnitude comes from the JPL Horizons ephemerides service and, in the case of comets, might be inaccurate given the highly dynamic and unpredictable behavior of these objects. When available, please refer to the Observed Magnitude value and consider the Predicted 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.
Rise and Set Times
Today's rise, transit and set times of Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann from Greenwich, UK (all times relative to the local timezone Europe/London):
- 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann is above the horizon from Greenwich, UK.
- Right now it is placed in the South-West direction at an altitude of 40.45° above the horizon.
- Given its current magnitude, 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann is visible with the help of a telescope having an aperture of 6 inches (150mm) or more.
- Go to interactive sky chart
If you need to access this information frequently for your observations, you can create a simple customized Quick Access page, so that you can easily bookmark it in your browser favorites or add a shortcut to your mobile phones' home screen.
Distance from Earth
The distance of Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann from Earth is currently
The following chart shows the distance of Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann from Earth as a function of time. In the chart the distance data is measured in Astronomical Units and sampled with an interval of 1 day.
The value of the reported distance might be somewhat inaccurate around the times of closest approach for objects passing extremely close to Earth. The value of the distance of 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann from Earth is also available as a real time updated value in the Live Position and Data Tracker.
Closest Approach
Between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2099, the closest approach of Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann to Earth happens on Fri Oct 13 2034 at a distance of 4.725860 Astronomical Units, or 706,978,663 kilometers:
NOTE: values for the closest approach are computed with a sampling interval of 1 day.
Light Curve
The following chart is the predicted light curve (visual magnitude as a function of time) of Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann, 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.
Orbital Elements
The following table lists the orbital elements of Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann at epoch 30 August 2016 00:00 UTC (JD: 2457631.5). Source: JPL Small-Body Database
| Element | Symbol | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Orbit eccentricity | e | 0.04166605 |
| Orbit inclination | i | 9.37634488° |
| Perihelion distance | q | 5.76487038 AU 862,412,335 km |
| Aphelion distance | Q |
6.26615567 AU 937,403,547 km |
| Semi-major axis | a |
6.01551302 AU 899,907,941 km |
| Orbital period | period |
14.7543 years 5,388.9907 days |
| Date of perihelion transit | Tp | 2019-Mar-23 17:58:15 2,458,566.2488 JD |
| Next perihelion transit | 2033-Dec-23 17:44 2,463,955.2395 JD |
|
| Argument of perihelion | peri | 48.907923433605° |
| Longitude of the ascending node | node | 312.40903929554° |
| Mean anomaly | M | 297.55610601739° |
| Mean motion | n | 0.06680286°/day |
View Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann in the 3D Solar System Simulator
15 Days Ephemeris
The following table lists the ephemerides of Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann computed for the past and next 7 days, with a 24 hours interval. Apparent celestial coordinates are provided.
| Date | Right AscensionR.A. | DeclinationDec. | MagnitudeMag | Constellation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 May 11 | 09h 39m 05s | +10° 32’ 34” | 17.63 | Leo |
| 2025 May 12 | 09h 39m 17s | +10° 31’ 29” | 17.64 | Leo |
| 2025 May 13 | 09h 39m 30s | +10° 30’ 21” | 17.64 | Leo |
| 2025 May 14 | 09h 39m 43s | +10° 29’ 11” | 17.65 | Leo |
| 2025 May 15 | 09h 39m 56s | +10° 27’ 58” | 17.65 | Leo |
| 2025 May 16 | 09h 40m 11s | +10° 26’ 42” | 17.66 | Leo |
| 2025 May 17 | 09h 40m 25s | +10° 25’ 23” | 17.67 | Leo |
| 2025 May 18 | 09h 40m 41s | +10° 24’ 02” | 17.67 | Leo |
| 2025 May 19 | 09h 40m 56s | +10° 22’ 38” | 17.68 | Leo |
| 2025 May 20 | 09h 41m 13s | +10° 21’ 10” | 17.68 | Leo |
| 2025 May 21 | 09h 41m 29s | +10° 19’ 41” | 17.69 | Leo |
| 2025 May 22 | 09h 41m 47s | +10° 18’ 09” | 17.69 | Leo |
| 2025 May 23 | 09h 42m 05s | +10° 16’ 34” | 17.70 | Leo |
| 2025 May 24 | 09h 42m 23s | +10° 14’ 56” | 17.70 | Leo |
Additional Resources on TheSkyLive
- Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann: Complete reference information on TheSkyLive.com
- Where is Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann?: Key information on locating Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann in the sky.
- Distance from Earth: Find out how far Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann is from Earth right now.
- How Bright is Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann?: Current visual brightness (magnitude) and apparent size.
- Rise and Set Times: Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann's rise and set times from your location.
- Interactive Sky Map: planetarium-style interactive visualization of Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann's position in the sky.
- Live Position Tracker: high precision position tracker with deep space imagery.
- Ephemeris: 15 days Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann's computed ephemeris.
- Orbital elements: information about Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann orbital parameters.
- Orbit Visualization. 3d interactive visualization showing the orbit of Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann with respect to the major Solar System objects.