Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann
Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann is in the constellation of
Gemini,
at a distance of
View interactive star map
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 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann from Greenwich, UK (all times relative to the local timezone Europe/London):
- 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann is above the horizon from Greenwich, UK.
- Right now it is placed in the West-South-West direction at an altitude of 53.92° above the horizon.
- Given its current magnitude, 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann is visible only through long exposure photography.
- 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.
Finder Charts
High precision deep sky finder chart, 60 arcmin wide, showing where Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann is right now. Click on the image to see a more detailed fullscreen tracker view.
Also check out Where is Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann?, a page that provides all the information needed to find Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann in the sky and additional links to sky charts.
Distance from Earth
The distance of Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann from Earth is currently
The following chart shows the distance of Comet 73P/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 73P/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 2013 and 30 December 2100, the closest approach of Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann to Earth happens on Wed Aug 5 2048 at a distance of 0.115627 Astronomical Units, or 17,297,528 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 73P/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.
15 Days Ephemeris
The following table lists the ephemerides of Comet 73P/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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Oct 05 | 06h 05m 03s | +25° 28’ 32” | 29.60 | Gemini |
| 2024 Oct 06 | 06h 05m 04s | +25° 29’ 34” | 29.59 | Gemini |
| 2024 Oct 07 | 06h 05m 03s | +25° 30’ 37” | 29.58 | Gemini |
| 2024 Oct 08 | 06h 05m 02s | +25° 31’ 40” | 29.58 | Gemini |
| 2024 Oct 09 | 06h 05m 00s | +25° 32’ 44” | 29.57 | Gemini |
| 2024 Oct 10 | 06h 04m 56s | +25° 33’ 49” | 29.57 | Gemini |
| 2024 Oct 11 | 06h 04m 53s | +25° 34’ 53” | 29.56 | Gemini |
| 2024 Oct 12 | 06h 04m 48s | +25° 35’ 57” | 29.56 | Gemini |
| 2024 Oct 13 | 06h 04m 42s | +25° 37’ 02” | 29.55 | Gemini |
| 2024 Oct 14 | 06h 04m 35s | +25° 38’ 07” | 29.55 | Gemini |
| 2024 Oct 15 | 06h 04m 27s | +25° 39’ 13” | 29.54 | Gemini |
| 2024 Oct 16 | 06h 04m 18s | +25° 40’ 19” | 29.54 | Gemini |
| 2024 Oct 17 | 06h 04m 08s | +25° 41’ 25” | 29.53 | Gemini |
| 2024 Oct 18 | 06h 03m 56s | +25° 42’ 32” | 29.53 | Gemini |
Additional Resources
- Position and finder charts (see also Where is Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann?)
- Distance from Earth (see also How far is Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann from Earth?)
- When does Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann rise and set?
- Brightness (see also How bright is Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann?)
- 15 days ephemerides. Table showing celestial coordinates and magnitude of Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann for the past and next 7 days.
- Interactive sky chart. An online planetarium application that shows where to locate Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann in the sky from your location.
- Live position tracker. A high precision sky chart that uses real deep sky imagery to help locate Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann with your telescope or on your astrophotographies.