Comet
Schwassmann-Wachmann
73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3
Where is it now
- Distance from Sun
- 4.35 AU
- True anomaly
- 204.65°
- As of
- 29 August 2026
Two-body Kepler propagation — accurate to ~0.1% for major planets over decades, less so for highly-perturbed bodies. Use JPL Horizons for high precision.
Orbital elements
- Semi-major axis
- 3.093 AU
- Eccentricity
- 0.6857
- Inclination
- 11.23°
- Orbital period
- 5.44 years
- Perihelion
- 0.972 AU
- Aphelion
- 5.214 AU
- Longitude of ascending node
- 69.64°
- Argument of periapsis
- 199.45°
- Epoch · J2000
- JD 2459817.09131 (perihelion)
Visual & observation
- Absolute magnitude (H)
- 14.3
- Spectral type
- JFc
Sources
- orbital elements: JPL SBDB (comets)