In the history of astronomy, there are cases when the same comet has been lost several times, but each new detection has added a new name to its existing name. This fully refers to the history of the observation of comet 54p / de Wicco Swift-Neat. For the first time, the comet was opened on August 23, 1844 by the Italian astronomer Francesco de Vico. Then the comet was at a distance of 30 million km from the ground and 178 million km from the sun.
French astronomers Paul Lenth and Felix Move, who observed Comet on September 9 of the same year, pointed out the existence of similarities with comets observed earlier. They calculated the orbital period for her – 4.9 years. After the first discovery, the comet was assigned the name of the discoverer de Vico. However, for fifty years after 1844, the comet was lost.
On November 21, 1894, she was again open with American astronomer Edward Swift. As in 1844, the comet was in the constellation Aquarius and was described as a weak object with a small core and a short dim tail. The German astronomer Adolf Berburys, with the help of calculations, suggested that this is a comet de vico of 1844, and the comet’s name was somewhat longer – Comet de Vico-Swift. After that, the comet again entered the list of lost. However, absolutely accurately identity of the comet de Vico 1844 and the comet of the Svift of 1894 was proved only in 1965, after the calculations of British Astronoma Brian Mrsden, who suggested that the comet’s phenomenon in 1965 would be favorable for observations. The forecast was fully confirmed, but the comet was again lost.
And already in 2002, a group of American astronomers who worked as part of the Near-Earth Asteroid Tracking program – tracking near-earth asteroids, announced the opening of a new comet that received a temporary designation P / 2002 T4. Japanese astronomer K. Muraoka determined that this object was already open earlier comet de Vico – Swift, and another component appeared in the comet name – Neat.
So, four times an open comet received its modern name – 54r / de Wicco Swift-Neat. Will it be final – time will show.