Derived quantities
Perihelion: 1.01 AU
Aphelion: 5.98 AU
Orbital period: 6.54 years
Discovered by Michel Giacobini (from Nice, France), who observed the comet in the constellation of Aquarius on December 20, 1900. It was recovered two passages later by Ernst Zinner (from Bamberg, Germany) while observing variable stars near Beta Scuti on October 23, 1913. During its apparitions, Giacobini–Zinner can reach about the 8th magnitude, but in 1946 it underwent a series of outbursts that made it as bright as 5th magnitude. It is the parent body of the Giacobinids meteor shower (also known as the Draconids). Giacobini–Zinner was the target of the International Cometary Explorer spacecraft, which passed through its plasma tail on September 11, 1985.
Taken 9/8/18 in Agawna Bay Lake Superior Provential Park, Canada by Russell Kille on a CPC 1100 with Hyperstar @ F2 and ZWO ASI294MC Pro camera
View the Comet in the SkyLive 3D Solar System Simulator
In conjuction with M37
Taken 9/15/18 at Lake Hudson Recreation Area in Clayton, Michigan by Russell Kille on a CPC 1100 with Hyperstar @ F2 and ZWO ASI294MC Pro camera
