155P/Shoemaker

155P/Shoemaker
Comet Shoemaker 3 photographed from the Zwicky Transient Facility on 25 November 2019
Discovery
Discovered byCarolyn S. Shoemaker
Eugene M. Shoemaker
Discovery sitePalomar Observatory
Discovery date10 January 1986
Designations
P/1986 A1, P/2002 R2
  • Shoemaker 3
  • 1985 XVIII, 1986a
Orbital characteristics
Epoch21 November 2025 (JD 2461000.5)
Observation arc34.36 years
Number of
observations		2,027
Aphelion11.355 AU
Perihelion1.789 AU
Semi-major axis6.572 AU
Eccentricity0.72774
Orbital period16.849 years
Inclination6.411°
97.157°
Argument of
periapsis		14.541°
Mean anomaly128.40°
Last perihelion15 November 2019
Next perihelion22 September 2036
TJupiter2.328
Earth MOID0.825 AU
Jupiter MOID0.302 AU
Physical characteristics
Mean radius
1.51 km (0.94 mi)
Comet total
magnitude (M1)		10.0
14.89
(2019 apparition)

Comet Shoemaker 3, also known as 155P/Shoemaker, is a Jupiter-family comet with a 17-year-long orbit around the Sun. It is one of 32 comets discovered by American astronomers, Carolyn and Eugene Shoemaker.

Observational history

The comet was discovered from the Palomar Observatory on the night of 10 January 1986. The Shoemakers' discovery was confirmed by Brian A. Skiff from the Lowell Observatory two days later. Further observations and astrometric measurements by Brian G. Marsden revealed that the new comet is also periodic.

It was next recovered by Shuichi Nakano on 9 September 2002. A series of possible outbursts occurred from the comet in October 2019, which has raised its maximum brightness to 14.89 during its most recent perihelion.

Notes

  1. ↑ Observation arc from the Minor Planet Center database covering dates from 10 January 1986 until 22 May 2020.

References

  1. 1 2 C. S. Shoemaker; E. M. Shoemaker; B. A. Skiff; et al. (17 January 1986). B. G. Marsden (ed.). "Comet Shoemaker (1986a)". IAU Circular. 4165 (1). Bibcode:1986IAUC.4165....1S.
  2. ↑ "Comet Names and Designations". International Comet Quarterly. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
  3. 1 2 "155P/Shoemaker – JPL Small-Body Database Lookup". ssd.jpl.nasa.gov. Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  4. ↑ "155P/Shoemaker Orbit". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 27 September 2026.
  5. ↑ "Horizons Batch for 155P/Shoemaker 3 (90001031) on 2036-Sep-22" (Perihelion occurs when rdot flips from negative to positive). JPL Horizons. Retrieved 16 April 2026. (JPL#53 Soln.date: 2022-Dec-31)
  6. ↑ Y. G. Kwon; D. W. Dahlen; J. R. Masiero; et al. (2026). "COSINE (Cometary Object Study Investigating their Nature and Evolution) II: Colors and Sizes of Comet Nuclei". arXiv:2609.32110 [astro-ph.EP].
  7. ↑ G. W. Kronk. "155P/Shoemaker". Cometography.com. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
  8. ↑ E. M. Shoemaker; C. Y. Shao; B. A. Skiff; et al. (21 January 1986). B. G. Marsden (ed.). "Periodic Comet Shoemaker 3 (1986a)". IAU Circular. 4166 (1). Bibcode:1986IAUC.4166....1S.
  9. ↑ J. Gibson; L. Louys; R. M. West; et al. (31 January 1986). B. G. Marsden (ed.). "Periodic Comet Shoemaker 3 (1986a)". IAU Circular. 4171 (1). Bibcode:1986IAUC.4171....1G.
  10. ↑ S. Nakano (20 February 1986). B. G. Marsden (ed.). "Periodic Comet Shoemaker 3 (1986a)". IAU Circular. 4180 (3). Bibcode:1986IAUC.4180....3N.
  11. ↑ S. Nakano; T. Oribe; A. Nakamura (13 September 2002). D. W. Green (ed.). "Comet P/2002 R2 (Shoemaker)". IAU Circular. 7969 (2). Bibcode:2002IAUC.7969....2N.
  12. ↑ D. Bodewits; M. S. P. Kelley; B. Bolin, Bryce; et al. (17 October 2019). "Outburst of 155P/Shoemaker 3". The Astronomer's Telegram. 13199. Bibcode:2019ATel13199....1B.