Comet
Schwassmann-Wachmann
73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3-S
Where is it now
- Distance from Sun
- 5.128 AU
- True anomaly
- 162.81°
- 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
- 3.334 AU
- Eccentricity
- 0.6934
- Inclination
- 11.05°
- Orbital period
- 6.09 years
- Perihelion
- 1.022 AU
- Aphelion
- 5.646 AU
- Longitude of ascending node
- 81.99°
- Argument of periapsis
- 181.56°
- Epoch · J2000
- JD 2453895.26016 (perihelion)
Visual & observation
- Absolute magnitude (H)
- 21.1
- Spectral type
- JFc
Sources
- orbital elements: JPL SBDB (comets)