13P/Olbers

13P/Olbers
Comet Olbers photographed by Don Heffernan on 11 August 2024
Discovery
Discovered byHeinrich Olbers
Discovery date6 March 1815
Designations
  • P/1815 E1, P/1887 Q1
  • P/1956 A1
  • 1815 I, 1887 V, 1956 IV
  • 1887f, 1956a
Orbital characteristics
Epoch21 November 2025 (JD 2461000.5)
Observation arc210.40 years
Number of
observations
2,619
Aphelion32.676 AU
Perihelion1.175 AU
Semi-major axis16.926 AU
Eccentricity0.93056
Orbital period69.634 years
Inclination44.664°
85.846°
Argument of
periapsis
64.425°
Mean anomaly7.203°
Last perihelion30 June 2024
Next perihelion20 March 2094
TJupiter1.251
Earth MOID0.471 AU
Jupiter MOID0.713 AU
Physical characteristics
Comet total
magnitude
(M1)
6.9
6.0
(2024 apparition)

13P/Olbers is a periodic comet with an orbital period of 69 years. It fits the classical definition of a Halley-type comet with a period between 20 and 200 years. The comet last passed perihelion 30 June 2024 and it was previously seen in 1956. The next perihelion is in 2094. It is the third of three comets discovered by German astronomer, Heinrich Olbers.