73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann

73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann , also indicated Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 , is a periodic Comet Solar system.

It was discovered on May 2nd 1930 by Arnold Schwassmann and Arno Arthur Wachmann, and has a orbital Period of approximately 5,3 years, which leads it to pass to more close to the Ground every approximately 16 years.

In the beginning 73P had an estimated diameter of 1100 Mètre S, but it started to disintegrate in 1995, five large fragments having been observed at that time, indicated 73P-A, B, C, D and E. In March 2006, one observes eight fragments of them: B, C, G, H, J, L, M and NR. These fragments should in the future continue to disintegrate, sufficiently not to be observable more, in which case its designation will change 73P and 73D.

The remaining fragments passed close to the Earth between the end of April and the beginning of the month of May 2006 (with more close on May 12th at a distance of 11,9 million kilometers approximately). From the astronomical point of view, it is about a rather close crossing (0,08 ua) although there is no collision risk. When the comet passed at an equivalent distance in 1930, it generated a rain of shooting stars very intense with a peak of 100 meteors per minute. However, of recent analyzes seem to indicate that such an event has only little chance to reproduce in the same proportions.

In 2022, the fragments of comet should pass more close still of the Earth that in 2006. Their trajectory on this date is however not known with precision, of many astronomers observing the fragments in 2006 to try to establish with precision the evolution of their future trajectories.

The comet 73P would have had to be visited by the Space probe CONTOUR on June 18th, 2006, but the latter unfortunately ceased functioning on August 15th, 2003.

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