50P/Arend (0050P)

Type: Periodic Perihelion date: 13 May 2024 Perihelion distance (q): 1.9 Aphelion distance (Q) : 6.3 Period (years): 8.3 Eccentricity (e): 0.53 Inclination (i): 19.1 JPL orbit diagram COBS lightcurve The comet was discovered on October 4, 1951 by astronomer Sylvain Julien Victor Arend at the Royal Observatory of Belgium located in the municipality of Uccle. The comet was illustrated at approximately a magnitude of 14 and exhibited a nucleus within a coma 14 arc seconds across. The comet was observed at its brightest at a maximum magnitude of 14 when it was discovered in 1951. At the comet’s next apparition on September 1, 1959, it did not exceed , but for an outburst in November which increased its brightness to magnitude 15.5. The observed orbital period was 7.8 years at the time of its discovery however at each succeeding perihelion has led to less favorable observations due to its 0.64 astronomical units (AU) approach to Jupiter in 1969. This approach also led to the comet’s orbital period to increase to 8.0 years. Observations (VEMag = visual equivalent magnitude) Date 10x10 mag Error VEmag Coma ' 15-Aug-15 18.48 0.05 17.5 0.2 22-Aug-15 18.11 0.06 17.1 0.2 04-Sep-15 17.50 0.02 15.7 0.2 13-Sep-15 17.51 0.03 16.9 0.3 20-Sep-15 17.38 0.01 16.3 0.3 05-Oct-15 17.61 0.05 16.3 0.2 19-Oct-15 17.57 0.04 14.8 0.2 31-Oct-15 17.47 0.03 15.8 0.2 07-Nov-15 17.72 0.01 16.0 0.2 09-Dec-15 17.54 0.02 15.7 0.2