Astronomy Picture of the Day · February 19, 1996

Periodic Comet Swift-Tuttle

The Astronomy Picture of the Day for February 19, 1996 is “Periodic Comet Swift-Tuttle,” an image. It is credited to Credit: D. McDavid (Limber Observatory), D.C. Boice (SwRI). The original explanation runs about 224 words.

From the explanation

“Comet Swift-Tuttle , shown above in false color, is the largest object known to make repeated passes near the Earth . It is also one of the oldest known periodic comets with sightings spanning two millennia.”

— APOD editors, February 19, 1996

Read the full explanation on science.nasa.gov

At a glance

Date: February 19, 1996
Type: Image
Credit: Credit: D. McDavid (Limber Observatory), D.C. Boice (SwRI)
Copyright: No copyright notice on the entry. Check the credited institution’s own usage rules before reusing it.
Explanation length: About 224 words

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Source

Astronomy Picture of the Day, February 19, 1996 — science.nasa.gov/image-article/apod-1996-february-19-periodic-comet-swift-tuttle

Copy taken Oct 28, 2026, 2:39 AM EDT. The image and explanation belong to their creators. OpenOrbit is not affiliated with or endorsed by NASA.