73P/Schwassmann–Wachmann

73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann, also Schwassmann - guard 3 ( briefly also SW3) is a short- period comet. He is above all known, because in the years 2001 to 2006, the breakup of its core could be observed in numerous fragments.

Discovery

The comet was discovered on May 2, 1930 by the two astronomer Friedrich Karl Arnold Schwassmann and Arthur Arno security guard at the Hamburg Observatory. He approached on May 31, 1930 to 0,062 on AE to the earth, reaching an apparent magnitude of about 6mag. This comet is the third short-period comet that was discovered by Schwassmann and security guard.

History

Despite its orbital period of just over five years, the comet remained after 1930 alone for a long time. It was not until his return in 1979 and 1990 are observations, the comet showed here, however, not very conspicuous. In 1995, the comet surprised astronomers with a strong, unexpected increase its brightness of about 13mag to around 7mag (250 -fold brightness) within a few days. The reason for this was that the comet nucleus was broken into several parts and evidently large amounts of gas and dust were released. First, three, then observed a total of five parts of the comet, which were designated by the reference A to E. At the next return of the year 2000/2001, only three fragments (B, C, and E) could be retrieved.

At the next return of the comet in the spring of 2006, followed by another break-up of comet parts, which became noticeable to observers on Earth in increasing brightness. At its closest approach to the Earth on 13 May 2006 with 0,074 AE at the two largest fragments (B and C ) achieved a brightness of about 5mag. In particular, the shape of fragment B to early May 2006 changed several times, there were strong brightness outbursts. Mid-May 2006 were over 60, some extremely faint, fragments known.

The Hubble Space Telescope and the Spitzer Space Telescope made ​​spectacular images of the comet shattering. Even with ground-based telescopes, including the Very Large Telescope of the European Southern Observatory, the events were followed. Even amateur astronomers could observe with highly sensitive CCD cameras, the breakup of the comet very good.

73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann was initially target the U.S. mission CONTOUR, which should reach the comet on June 18, 2006, and closer to only about 100 kilometers away. The space probe crashed shortly after the launch, however, in 2002.

Especially since his crumbling, but even before then because of its temporary faintness of the comet is unofficially called astronomers in circles also referred to as " weak man ".

Meteor Shower

73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann is the parent body of tau Herculids, a meteor shower which is active until June 19, on 19 May.

Estimated recurrence

The expected return is calculated for 2017 and 2022. (because: round-trip time: 5:36 years, last perihelion: June, 2006 and Nov. 2011 ).