63P/Wild (0063P)
Type: Periodic
Perihelion date: 6 July 2026
Perihelion distance (q): 2.0
Aphelion distance (Q) : 9.3
Period (years): 13.4
Eccentricity (e): 0.65
Inclination (i): 19.6
JPL orbit diagram
COBS lightcurve
Atlas
Paul Wild (Astronomical Institute of Bern, Switzerland) discovered this comet on a
photographic plate exposed on 26 March 1960. The comet was then located in Leo.
He determined the magnitude as 14.3. Wild finally confirmed the discovery on 5 and 6
April. He determined the magnitude as 14.7 on the first date, and 14.5 on the second.
Wild computed the first orbit which was published on 20 April. It was parabolic and
indicated a perihelion date of 15 February 1960. After a few additional observations
had been received, B. G. Marsden (Yale University Observatory, USA), computed an
elliptical orbit which was first published on 29 April. This orbit indicated a perihelion
date of 20 March and an orbital period of 15.4 years. Marsden said the period was
uncertain by several months. The period was eventually refined to 13.17 years. The
comet was followed at several observatories during April, but it was steadily fading. It
was last detected on 27 June by Elizabeth Roemer (U. S. Naval Observatory, Arizona,
USA) at a magnitude of 19.5. Roemer had been the only person to follow the comet
throughout most of May and all of June.
As the comet approached its 1973 apparition, Marsden was working to refine the orbit
so as to allow the comet's recovery. As early as August 1971, Wild sent Marsden
remeasured positions of the comet from his 1960 photographic plates. Marsden then
redetermined the 1960 orbit and predicted the comet would next arrive at perihelion
on 2 July 1973. The comet was subsequently recovered on 8 January 1973 when
Roemer photographic it at a magnitude of between 19.5 and 20.0. Her precisely
measured position indicated Marsden's prediction was only one day off. The comet
was not favorably placed during the 1973 apparition and never became brighter than
magnitude 19. It was last seen by Roemer on 5 June.
The comet was not seen during its 1986 apparition, but was recovered late in 1999
and attained a total magnitude of around 12 early in 2000.
Observations (VEMag = visual equivalent magnitude)
Date
10x10 mag
Error
VEmag
Coma '
23-May-13
15.40
0.04
12.8
0.5
27-May-13
15.65
0.05
12.6
0.4
07-Jun-13
15.96
0.04
12.6
0.7
02-Jul-13
16.78
0.05
13.4
0.4
19-Jul-13
14.03
0.02
12.3
0.7
25-Jul-13
16.15
0.02
13.0
1.1