81P/Wild facts for kids
Enhanced image from the Stardust spacecraft
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| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Paul Wild |
| Discovery date | 1978 |
| Designations | |
| 1978 XI; 1984 XIV; 1990 XXVIII |
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| Orbital characteristics | |
| Epoch | March 6, 2006 |
| Aphelion | 5.308 AU |
| Perihelion | 1.592 AU |
| Semi-major axis | 3.45 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.5384 |
| Orbital period | 6.408 a |
| Inclination | 3.2394° |
| Last perihelion | September 25, 2003 |
| Next perihelion | 2010 |
Comet 81P/Wild, often called Wild 2, is a comet named after Swiss astronomer Paul Wild. He found this icy space traveler in 1978.
Scientists think that for most of its 4.5 billion-year life, Wild 2 had a much wider and rounder path around the Sun. But in 1974, something big happened! The comet flew very close to the giant planet Jupiter. It was only about one million kilometers away. Jupiter's strong gravity pulled on the comet, changing its path. This brought Wild 2 much closer to the inner solar system.
After this close encounter, the comet's orbital period (the time it takes to go around the Sun) changed a lot. It went from 40 years to about 6 years. Its perihelion (the closest point to the Sun) is now about 1.59 AU. An astronomical unit (AU) is the average distance from the Earth to the Sun.
Pictures of Comet Wild 2
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A photo taken by the Stardust spacecraft.
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Close-up details of gas and dust shooting out from the comet.
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A special red/green picture that looks 3D with special glasses.
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An image taken by Stardust as it got closer to the comet.
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Another view of Comet Wild 2.
More Images
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Wild 2 as seen from Earth.
See also
In Spanish: 81P/Wild para niños
