Comet
Schwassmann-Wachmann
73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3-AW
Where is it now
- Distance from Sun
- 4.243 AU
- True anomaly
- 192°
- 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
- 2.678 AU
- Eccentricity
- 0.6482
- Inclination
- 10.98°
- Orbital period
- 4.38 years
- Perihelion
- 0.942 AU
- Aphelion
- 4.413 AU
- Longitude of ascending node
- 69.48°
- Argument of periapsis
- 199.09°
- Epoch · J2000
- JD 2453894.67079 (perihelion)
Visual & observation
- Absolute magnitude (H)
- 21.1
- Spectral type
- ETc
Sources
- orbital elements: JPL SBDB (comets)