Wild 2 Comet
CategoryComet
SystemSolar System
Diameter5.5 km
Orbital Period6.4 years
About Wild 2 Comet
Target of the NASA Stardust mission, which flew through its coma in 2004 and returned comet dust to Earth in 2006. The samples contained glycine, an amino acid building block of life. Its surface features deep pockmarks with flat floors and steep walls. Discovered by Paul Wild in 1978 after Jupiter shifted its orbit inward.
More Comets
Halley Comet
The most famous comet, visible from Earth every 75 to 79 years. Last appeared in 1986, nex...
Encke Comet
The comet with the shortest known orbital period, circling the Sun every 3.3 years. Second...
Hale-Bopp Comet
The Great Comet of 1997, visible to the naked eye for a record 18 months. Discovered indep...
Swift-Tuttle Comet
Parent body of the Perseid meteor shower, the best annual display of shooting stars. Disco...