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{{Mergeto|73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann|date=October 2006}} | ||
| '''Comet Schwassmann-Wachmann 3''', one of the comets discovered by astronomers by ] and ], working at the Hamburg Observatory in ], ] <ref>See ]</ref>, broke into fragments on its re-entry to the inner solar system, May 1 2006, in a reaction triggered by the sun's heating the comet as it emerged from the frozen space of the outer solar system. | '''Comet Schwassmann-Wachmann 3''', one of the comets discovered by astronomers by ] and ], working at the Hamburg Observatory in ], ] <ref>See ]</ref>, broke into fragments on its re-entry to the inner solar system, May 1 2006, in a reaction triggered by the sun's heating the comet as it emerged from the frozen space of the outer solar system. | ||
Revision as of 01:43, 29 October 2006
 | It has been suggested that this article be merged into 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann. (Discuss) Proposed since October 2006. |
Comet Schwassmann-Wachmann 3, one of the comets discovered by astronomers by Arnold Schwassmann and Arno Arthur Wachmann, working at the Hamburg Observatory in Bergedorf, Germany , broke into fragments on its re-entry to the inner solar system, May 1 2006, in a reaction triggered by the sun's heating the comet as it emerged from the frozen space of the outer solar system.
The comet's initial discovery was serendipity: the astronomers were exposing photographic plates in search of a minor planet, on photographs exposed for a minor planet survey, on May 2 1930. The comet was lost after its 1930 apparition, but was observed several more times. On its 1995 pass, the nucleus split in at least three pieces.