 Image of comet 63P/Wild taken on 4 April 2013, by the Palomar Transient Factory. | |
| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Paul Wild at the Zimmerwald Observatory, Switzerland |
| Discovery date | 26 March 1960 |
| Orbital characteristics | |
| Aphelion | 9.2249 AU |
| Perihelion | 1.9508 AU |
| Semi-major axis | 5.5906 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.6509 |
| Orbital period | 13.21 yr |
| Inclination | 19.7799° |
| Last perihelion | 2013-Apr-10 |
| Next perihelion | 2026-Jul-06[1] |
63P/Wild is a periodic comet in the Solar System with a current orbital period of 13.21 years.
It was first detected by Paul Wild at the Zimmerwald Observatory of the Astronomical Institute of Bern, Switzerland on a photographic plate exposed on 26 March 1960, who estimated its brightness at a magnitude of 14.3. Its elliptical orbit was then calculated to have an orbital period of 13.17 years.[2]
Its predicted reappearance in 1973 was observed by Elizabeth Roemer of the U.S. Naval Observatory, Flagstaff, Arizona at a magnitude of 17.5. Although not found in 1986 it was rediscovered in 1999 with a magnitude of around 12. The 2013 return was moderately favourable with magnitude again around 12.
The nucleus of the comet has a radius of 1.46 ± 0.03 kilometers, assuming a geometric albedo of 0.04.[3]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ MPC
- ^ "63P/Wild 1". Retrieved 10 December 2014.
- ^ Lamy, P. L.; Toth, I.; Weaver, H. A.; A'Hearn, M. F.; Jorda, L. (December 2009). "Properties of the nuclei and comae of 13 ecliptic comets from Hubble Space Telescope snapshot observations". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 508 (2): 1045–1056. Bibcode:2009A&A...508.1045L. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/200811462. S2CID 125249770.
Well, that’s interesting to know that Psilotum nudum are known as whisk ferns. Psilotum nudum is the commoner species of the two. While the P. flaccidum is a rare species and is found in the tropical islands. Both the species are usually epiphytic in habit and grow upon tree ferns. These species may also be terrestrial and grow in humus or in the crevices of the rocks.
View the detailed Guide of Psilotum nudum: Detailed Study Of Psilotum Nudum (Whisk Fern), Classification, Anatomy, Reproduction