118P/Shoemaker-Levy (0118P)
TRY AGAIN 2028
Type: Periodic
Perihelion date: 24 November 2022
Perihelion distance (q): 1.8
Aphelion distance (Q) : 4.9
Period (years): 6.1
Eccentricity (e): 0.45
Inclination (i): 10.1
JPL orbit diagram
COBS lightcurve
C. S. Shoemaker, E. M. Shoemaker, and D. H. Levy (Palomar Observatory,
California, USA) discovered this comet in Virgo on films exposed on 9 February 1990
with the 0.46-m Schmidt telescope. The comet was described as diffuse and
magnitude 17. There was also a short tail extending toward the west.
S. Nakano predicted the comet would next arrive at perihelion on 12 January 1997 .
The prediction enabled James V. Scotti to recover the comet on 22 June 1995. Scotti
used the 0.9-m Spacewatch telescope at Kitt Peak. The comet was described as
stellar with a magnitude of 21.9. The Scotti's position indicated the predicted
perihelion date was only in error by 0.6 day. The 1997 apparition was rather favorable
as the comet became brighter than magnitude 13 from November 1996 through
March 1997.
Observations (VEMag = visual equivalent magnitude)
Date
10x10 mag
Error
VEmag
Coma '
01-Jan-17
18.95
0.09
18.2
0.3
28-Feb-17
18.29
0.18
16.9
0.3
08-Mar-17
18.23
0.07
17.3
0.3
29-Mar-17
18.32
0.03
16.9
0.3
06-Apr-17
18.34
0.03
15.4
0.2
08-Sep-22
16.9
0.4
22-Sep-22
16.3
0.4
03-Oct-22
16.1
0.4
21-Oct-22
16.22
0.03
26-Oct-22
16.18
0.01
15.4
0.8
02-Nov-22
15.8
0.6
22-Nov-22
15.88
0.03
14.2
1.5
30-Nov-22
15.37
0.01
13.8
2.4
25-Jan-23
12.5
2.3
18-Feb-23
13.8
2.3
24-Feb-23
13.7
3.6
10-Mar-23
16.3
0.6
24-Mar-23
15.2
1.5
07-Apr-23
17.8
0.4