50P/Arend

50P/Arend
Comet 50P/Arend photographed by George van Biesbroeck on 4 November 1951
Discovery
Discovered bySylvian Arend
Discovery date4 October 1951
Designations
P/1951 T1, P/1959 N1
  • 1951 X, 1959 V, 1967 VI
  • 1975 VI, 1983 VIII
  • 1991 VIII
Orbital characteristics
Epoch21 November 2025 (JD 2461000.5)
Aphelion6.252 AU
Perihelion1.922 AU
Semi-major axis4.087 AU
Eccentricity0.5297
Orbital period8.26a
Inclination19.100°
Last perihelion12 May 2024
Next perihelion7 August 2032
Physical characteristics
Mean radius
0.95 km (0.59 mi)
0.04 (assumed)
  • (V–R) = 0.81±0.10
  • (R–I) = 0.26±0.09
Comet total
magnitude
(M1)
13.9

Comet Arend or 50P/Arend is a periodic comet in the Solar System which was discovered on October 4, 1951. It was discovered 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 also exhibited a nucleus within a coma 14 arc seconds across. It has been observed on its every subsequent apparition since discovery, with the most recent one occurred in 2024. The comet's next perihelion will be in the year 2032.