118P/Shoemaker-Levy (0118P)

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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