List of periodic comets
Periodic comets are comets having orbital periods of less than 200 years (also known as "short-period comets") or which have been observed during more than a single perihelion passage (e.g. 153P/Ikeya-Zhang). (Note that "periodic comet" is also sometimes used to mean any comet with a periodic orbit, even if greater than 200 years.)
Periodic comets receive a permanent number prefix usually after the second perihelion passage, which is why there are a number of unnumbered periodic comets, such as P/2005 T5 (Broughton).
In nearly all cases, comets are named after their discoverer(s), but in a few cases such as 2P/Encke and 27P/Crommelin they were named for a person who calculated their orbits (the orbit computers). The orbits of periodic comets are especially tricky to calculate because of all the possible perturbations from every planet, and in the days before electronic computers some people dedicated their entire careers to this. Even so, quite a few comets were lost because their orbits are also affected by non-gravitational effects such as the release of gas and other material that forms the comet's coma and tail.
Periodic comets sometimes bear the same name repeatedly (e.g. the nine Shoemaker-Levy comets or the twenty-four NEAT comets); the IAU system distinguishes between them either through the number prefix or by the full designation (e. g. 181P and 192P are both "Comet Shoemaker-Levy"). In the literature, an informal numbering system is applied to periodic comets (skipping the non-periodic ones), thus 181P and 192P are known as Comet Shoemaker-Levy 6 and Comet Shoemaker-Levy 1, respectively. Non-periodic Shoemaker-Levy comets are interleaved in this sequence: C/1991 B1 between 2 and 3, C/1991 T2 between 5 and 6, C/1993 K1 and C/1994 E2 after Shoemaker-Levy 9.
In comet nomenclature, the letter before the "/" is either "C" (a non-periodic comet), "P" (a periodic comet), "D" (a comet which has been lost or has disintegrated), "X" (a comet for which no reliable orbit could be calculated —usually historical comets), or "A" for an object that was mistakenly identified as a comet, but is actually a minor planet.
Some lists retain the "C" prefix for comets of periods larger than about 30 years until their return is confirmed (e.g. C/2008 E1 (Catalina) vs. P/2008 E1 (Catalina)).
Numbered periodic comets
Unnumbered periodic comets
Comet | Discoverer(s) or Namesake |
---|---|
D/1884 O1 (Barnard), earlier Barnard 1 | Barnard |
P/2001 W2 (BATTeRS) | BATTeRS |
P/2005 V1 (Bernardi) | Bernardi |
P/2008 J2 (Beshore) | Beshore (Mount Lemmon Survey) |
D/1819 W1 (Blanpain) | Blanpain |
P/2008 O3 (Boattini) | Boattini (Mount Lemmon Survey) |
P/2008 T1 (Boattini) | Boattini (Mount Lemmon Survey) [5] |
P/2009 B1 (Boattini) | Boattini (Catalina Sky Survey) |
P/2009 Q4 (Boattini) | Boattini (Catalina Sky Survey) |
P/1984 A1 (Bradfield), earlier Bradfield 1 | Bradfield |
P/1989 A3 (Bradfield), earlier Bradfield 2 | Bradfield |
D/1886 K1 (Brooks), earlier Brooks 1 | Brooks |
P/2005 T5 (Broughton) | Broughton |
P/1999 V1 (Catalina) | Catalina Sky Survey (Hergenrother) |
P/1999 XN120 (Catalina) | Catalina Sky Survey |
P/2005 JQ5 (Catalina) | Catalina Sky Survey |
P/2005 JY126 (Catalina) | Catalina Sky Survey |
P/2005 N5 (Catalina) | Catalina Sky Survey |
P/2007 C2 (Catalina) | Catalina Sky Survey [6] |
P/2007 T6 (Catalina) | Catalina Sky Survey [7] |
P/2007 VQ11 (Catalina) | Catalina Sky Survey [8] |
P/2008 E1 (Catalina) | Catalina Sky Survey [9] |
P/2009 WX51 (Catalina) | Catalina Sky Survey |
P/2008 S1 (Catalina-McNaught) | Catalina Sky Survey & McNaught [10] |
P/2005 JD108 (Catalina-NEAT) | Catalina Sky Survey & NEAT |
P/2005 L4 (Christensen) | Christensen |
P/2005 O2 (Christensen) | Christensen |
P/2005 T2 (Christensen) | Christensen |
P/2005 W2 (Christensen) | Christensen |
P/2006 F2 (Christensen) | Christensen |
P/2006 R2 (Christensen) | Christensen |
P/2006 S1 (Christensen) | Christensen |
P/2006 S4 (Christensen) | Christensen |
P/2006 U5 (Christensen) | Christensen |
P/2006 WY182 (Christensen) | Christensen |
P/2007 B1 (Christensen) | Christensen [11] |
P/2007 C1 (Christensen) | Christensen (Catalina Sky Survey) [12] |
D/1894 F1 (Denning) | Denning |
P/1921 H1 (Dubiago) | Dubiago |
P/2007 H3 (Garradd) | Garradd [13] |
P/2007 R4 (Garradd) | Garradd [14] |
P/2008 R1 (Garradd) | Garradd [15] |
P/1997 C1 (Gehrels) | Gehrels |
P/2006 U7 (Gibbs) | Gibbs (Mount Lemmon Survey) |
P/2006 W1 (Gibbs) | Gibbs (Catalina Sky Survey) |
P/2006 Y2 (Gibbs) | Gibbs (Catalina Sky Survey) |
P/2007 K2 (Gibbs) | Gibbs (Catalina Sky Survey) [16] |
P/2007 R2 (Gibbs) | Gibbs (Catalina Sky Survey) [17] |
P/2007 R3 (Gibbs) | Gibbs (Mount Lemmon Survey) [18] |
P/2007 T4 (Gibbs) | Gibbs (Catalina Sky Survey) [19] |
P/2008 Y2 (Gibbs) | Gibbs (Catalina Sky Survey) |
P/2009 K1 (Gibbs) | Gibbs (Mount Lemmon Survey) |
P/2007 Q2 (Gilmore) | Gilmore |
D/1978 R1 (Haneda-Campos) | Haneda & Campos |
D/1952 B1 (Harrington-Wilson) | Harrington & Wilson |
D/1766 G1 (Helfenzrieder) | Helfenzrieder |
P/1999 D1 (Hermann) | Hermann |
P/2006 D1 (Hill) | Hill (Catalina Sky Survey) |
P/2006 S6 (Hill) | Hill (Catalina Sky Survey) |
P/2007 V2 (Hill) | Hill (Mount Lemmon Survey) [20] |
P/2008 L2 (Hill) | Hill (Catalina Sky Survey) |
P/2008 T4 (Hill) | Hill (Catalina Sky Survey) [21] |
P/2009 O3 (Hill) | Hill (Catalina Sky Survey) |
P/2009 Q1 (Hill) | Hill (Catalina Sky Survey) |
P/2009 W1 (Hill) | Hill (Catalina Sky Survey) |
P/2010 A1 (Hill) | Hill (Catalina Sky Survey) |
P/2010 A3 (Hill) | Hill (Catalina Sky Survey) |
P/2010 E2 (Jarnac) | Jarnac Observatory (D. Levy, W. Levy & T. Glinos) |
P/1998 U3 (Jäger) | Jäger |
P/1996 A1 (Jedicke) | V. Jedicke & R. Jedicke[1] |
P/1997 B1 (Kobayashi) | Kobayashi |
P/2005 W3 (Kowalski) | Kowalski (Catalina Sky Survey) |
P/2006 F1 (Kowalski) | Kowalski (Mount Lemmon Survey) |
P/2007 T2 (Kowalski) | Kowalski (Catalina Sky Survey) [22] |
P/2009 Y2 (Kowalski) | Kowalski (Mount Lemmon Survey) |
P/2009 QG31 (La Sagra) | La Sagra Sky Survey |
P/2009 T2 (La Sagra) | La Sagra Sky Survey |
P/1996 R2 (Lagerkvist) | Lagerkvist |
P/1997 T3 (Lagerkvist-Carsenty) | Lagerkvist & Carsenty |
P/2004 C1 (Larsen) | Larsen |
P/2004 H2 (Larsen) | Larsen |
P/2004 H3 (Larsen) | Larsen |
P/2005 N3 (Larson) | Larson (Mount Lemmon Survey) |
P/2007 R1 (Larson) | Larson (Mount Lemmon Survey) [23] |
P/2007 V1 (Larson) | Larson (Catalina Sky Survey) [24] |
P/2007 S2 (Lemmon) | Mount Lemmon Survey |
P/2008 CL94 (Lemmon) | Mount Lemmon Survey |
P/1991 L3 (Levy) | Levy |
P/2006 T1 (Levy) | Levy |
D/1770 L1 (Lexell) | Lexell |
P/1998 Y2 (Li) | Li |
P/1999 E1 (Li) | Li |
P/1998 G1 (LINEAR) | LINEAR |
P/1998 VS24 (LINEAR) | LINEAR |
P/1998 Y1 (LINEAR) | LINEAR |
P/1999 G1 (LINEAR) | LINEAR |
P/1999 S3 (LINEAR) | LINEAR |
P/1999 U3 (LINEAR) | LINEAR |
P/1999 XB69 (LINEAR) | LINEAR |
P/1999 XS87 (LINEAR) | LINEAR |
P/2000 G1 (LINEAR) | LINEAR |
P/2000 G2 (LINEAR) | LINEAR |
P/2000 D2 (LINEAR) | LINEAR |
P/2000 R2 (LINEAR) | LINEAR |
P/2002 A1 (LINEAR) | LINEAR |
P/2002 A2 (LINEAR) | LINEAR |
P/2002 B1 (LINEAR) | LINEAR |
P/2002 AR2 (LINEAR) | LINEAR |
P/2002 CE10 (LINEAR) | LINEAR |
P/2002 EJ57 (LINEAR) | LINEAR |
P/2002 T5 (LINEAR) | LINEAR |
P/2003 F1 (LINEAR) | LINEAR |
P/2003 HT15 (LINEAR) | LINEAR |
P/2003 O2 (LINEAR) | LINEAR |
P/2003 O3 (LINEAR) | LINEAR |
P/2003 R1 (LINEAR) | LINEAR |
P/2003 U1 (LINEAR) | LINEAR |
P/2003 U2 (LINEAR) | LINEAR |
P/2003 UY275 = P/2010 K1 (LINEAR) | LINEAR |
P/2003 W1 (LINEAR) | LINEAR |
P/2004 HC18 (LINEAR) | LINEAR |
P/2004 WR9 (LINEAR) | LINEAR |
P/2005 Q4 (LINEAR) | LINEAR |
P/2004 FY140 (LINEAR) | LINEAR |
P/2000 QJ46 (LINEAR) | LINEAR |
P/2005 YQ127 (LINEAR) | LINEAR |
P/2006 U1 (LINEAR) | LINEAR |
P/2008 A2 (LINEAR) | LINEAR [25] |
P/2008 R3 (LINEAR) | LINEAR [26] |
P/2008 WZ96 (LINEAR) | LINEAR |
P/2010 A2 (LINEAR) | LINEAR |
P/2010 A5 (LINEAR) | LINEAR |
P/2003 WC7 (LINEAR-Catalina) | LINEAR & Catalina Sky Survey |
P/2004 V5 (LINEAR-Hill) | LINEAR & Hill |
P/2008 QP20 (LINEAR-Hill) | LINEAR & Hill [27] |
P/2001 BB50 (LINEAR-NEAT) | LINEAR & NEAT |
P/2004 R3 (LINEAR-NEAT) | LINEAR & NEAT |
P/2004 T1 (LINEAR-NEAT) | LINEAR & NEAT |
P/2001 R6 (LINEAR-Skiff) | LINEAR & Skiff |
P/2000 S4 (LINEAR-Spacewatch) | LINEAR & Spacewatch |
P/1999 RO28 (LONEOS) | LONEOS |
P/2000 S3 (LONEOS) | LONEOS |
P/2001 OG108 (LONEOS) | LONEOS |
P/2004 A1 (LONEOS) | LONEOS |
P/2004 VR8 (LONEOS) | LONEOS |
P/2005 GF8 (LONEOS) | LONEOS |
P/2005 SB216 (LONEOS) | LONEOS |
P/2006 Q2 (LONEOS) | LONEOS |
P/2005 RV25 (LONEOS-Christensen) | LONEOS & Christensen |
P/2005 XA54 (LONEOS-Hill) | LONEOS & Hill |
P/1998 QP54 (LONEOS-Tucker) | LONEOS & Tucker |
P/2010 J3 (McMillan) | McMillan |
P/2004 R1 (McNaught) | McNaught |
P/2005 J1 (McNaught) | McNaught |
P/2005 K3 (McNaught) | McNaught |
P/2005 L1 (McNaught) | McNaught |
P/2005 Y2 (McNaught) | McNaught |
P/2006 G1 (McNaught) | McNaught |
P/2006 H1 (McNaught) | McNaught |
P/2006 K2 (McNaught) | McNaught |
P/2007 H1 (McNaught) | McNaught |
P/2008 J3 (McNaught) | McNaught |
P/2008 O2 (McNaught) | McNaught |
P/2008 Y3 (McNaught) | McNaught |
P/2009 Q5 (McNaught) | McNaught |
P/2009 S2 (McNaught) | McNaught |
P/2009 U4 (McNaught) | McNaught |
P/2010 J5 (McNaught) | McNaught |
P/1994 N2 (McNaught-Hartley) | McNaught & Hartley |
P/1994 X1 (McNaught-Russell) | McNaught & Russell |
P/1917 F1 (Mellish) | Mellish |
P/1997 G1 (Montani) | Montani |
P/2001 F1 (NEAT) | NEAT |
P/2001 H5 (NEAT) | NEAT |
P/2001 M10 (NEAT) | NEAT |
P/2001 Q6 (NEAT) | NEAT |
P/2001 T3 (NEAT) | NEAT |
P/2002 K4 (NEAT) | NEAT |
P/2002 Q11 (NEAT) | NEAT (Meyer, on archive images) |
P/2002 X2 (NEAT) | NEAT |
P/2003 E1 (NEAT) | NEAT |
P/2003 F2 (NEAT) | NEAT |
P/2003 QX29 (NEAT) | NEAT |
P/2003 S1 (NEAT) | NEAT |
P/2003 S2 (NEAT) | NEAT |
P/2003 U3 (NEAT) | NEAT |
P/2004 F1 (NEAT) | NEAT |
P/2004 F3 (NEAT) | NEAT |
P/2005 R1 (NEAT) | NEAT |
P/2002 T6 (NEAT-LINEAR) | NEAT & LINEAR |
P/2003 SQ215 (NEAT-LONEOS) | NEAT & LONEOS |
P/2008 Q2 (Ory) | Ory |
P/1827 M1 (Pons-Gambart) | Pons & Gambart |
P/2005 S3 (Read) | Read (Spacewatch) |
P/2005 T3 (Read) | Read |
P/2005 U1 (Read) | Read |
D/1918 W1 (Schorr) | Schorr |
P/2000 Y3 (Scotti) | Scotti |
P/2003 L1 (Scotti) | Scotti |
P/2010 C1 (Scotti) | Scotti |
P/2010 E5 (Scotti) | Scotti |
P/2010 H4 (Scotti) | Scotti |
P/2010 H5 (Scotti) | Scotti |
D/1993 F2 (Shoemaker-Levy), earlier Shoemaker-Levy 9 | C. Shoemaker, E. Shoemaker & Levy |
P/2004 V3 (Siding Spring) | Siding Spring Survey |
P/2006 HR30 (Siding Spring) | Siding Spring Survey |
P/2006 R1 (Siding Spring) | Siding Spring Survey |
P/2000 S1 (Skiff) | Skiff |
P/2004 V1 (Skiff) | Skiff |
P/2005 S2 (Skiff) | Skiff |
D/1977 C1 (Skiff-Kosai) | Skiff & Kosai |
P/1999 R1 = P/2003 R5 = P/2007 R5 (SOHO) | SOHO [28] |
P/1999 X3 = P/2004 E2 = P/2008 K10 (SOHO) | SOHO [29] |
P/1997 J6 = P/2001 D1 = P/2004 X7 = P/2008 S2 (SOHO) | SOHO [30] |
P/1996 X3 = P/2002 S7 = P/2008 N4 (SOHO) | SOHO [31] |
P/1999 J6 = P/2004 V9 = P/2010 H3 (SOHO) | SOHO [32] |
P/2005 JN (Spacewatch) | Spacewatch |
P/2006 F4 (Spacewatch) | Spacewatch |
P/2006 XG16 (Spacewatch) | Spacewatch [33] |
P/2009 SK280 (Spacewatch-Hill) | Spacewatch & Hill |
P/2004 DO29 (Spacewatch-LINEAR) | Spacewatch & LINEAR |
P/1998 U4 (Spahr) | Spahr |
P/2005 T4 (SWAN) | SWAN instrument of SOHO satellite (Matson & Mattiazzo) |
D/1895 Q1 (Swift) | Swift |
P/2005 E1 (Tubbiolo) | Tubbiolo |
P/2010 H2 (Vales) | Črni Vrh Observatory (Vales) |
P/1942 EA (Väisälä), earlier Väisälä 2 | Väisälä |
D/1960 S1 (van Houten) | C. van Houten & I. van Houten-Groeneveld[2] |
P/2002 Q1 (Van Ness) | Van Ness |
P/1937 D1 (Wilk) | Wilk |
P/2010 B2 (WISE) | WISE |
P/2010 D1 (WISE) | WISE |
P/2010 D2 (WISE) | WISE |
P/2009 L2 (Yang-Gao) | Yang & Gao |
P/2007 S1 (Zhao) | Zhao[34] |
See also
References
- ^ http://www.cometography.com/pcomets/96a1.html
- ^ Vsekhsvyatsky, S. K. (1967). Comets of 1961-1970. Physical characteristics of comets. Moscow: Nauka. p. 25.
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