25D/Neujmin
DiscovererGrigory Neujmin
Discovery date24 February 1916
Mpc nameD/1916 D1
D/1926 V2
Designations
  • Neujmin 2
  • 1916 II, 1927 I
  • 1916a, 1926g
Epoch21 March 1927 (JD 2424960.5)
Observation arc10.94 years[1]
(Not observed in 99 years)
Obs116[1]
Perihelion1.338 AU
Aphelion4.840 AU
Semimajor3.089 AU
Eccentricity0.56682
Period5.429 years
Inclination10.639°
Asc node328.72°
Arg peri193.70°
Mean11.577°
Tjup2.932
Earth moid0.35 AU
M 112.5
M 216.0
Last p11 May 2025?[2]
(unobserved)
Next p24 Feb 2031?[3][4][2]
(Lost since 1927)

25D/Neujmin, otherwise known as Comet Neujmin 2, is a periodic comet in the Solar System discovered by Grigory N. Neujmin (Simeis) on February 24, 1916.[5] It was last observed on February 10, 1927, and has not been observed in 99 years.[1]

It was confirmed by George Van Biesbroeck (Yerkes Observatory, Wisconsin, United States) and Frank Watson Dyson (Greenwich Observatory, England) on March 1.[5]

A prediction by Andrew Crommelin (Royal Observatory, Greenwich, England) for 1921 was considered unfavourable and no observations were made. The comet was recovered in 1926.[1] Searches in 1932 and 1937 were unsuccessful.[5]

Consequently, this comet has remained a lost comet since 1927. As of 2026 and using the JPL Horizons nominal orbit, the comet is still expected to come to perihelion around 1.45 astronomical units from the Sun.[3]

The comet has not been observed during the last 18 perihelion passages: 1932, 1937, 1943, 1948, 1954, 1959, 1965, 1971, 1976, 1981, 1987, 1992, 1998, 2003, 2008, 2014, 2019, and 2025.[2]

References

  1. ^ "25D/Neujmin Orbit". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 2019-02-26.
  2. ^ S. Yoshida. "25D/Neujmin 2". www.aerith.net. Retrieved 2019-02-26.
  3. ^ "Horizons Batch for 25D/Neujmin 2 (90000357) on 2031-Feb-24" (Perihelion occurs when rdot flips from negative to positive). JPL Horizons. Retrieved 2026-04-05. (JPL#7/Soln.date: 2003-Apr-18)
  4. ^ K. Kinoshita (2003-05-31). "25D/Neujmin past, present and future orbital elements". Comet Orbit. Retrieved 2026-04-10.
  5. ^ G. W. Kronk. "25D/Neujmin 2". Cometography.com. Retrieved 2018-02-26.