List of numbered comets
Wikimedia list article
This is a list of periodic comets that were numbered by the Minor Planet Center after having been observed on at least two occasions. Their orbital periods vary from 3.2 to 366 years. As of August 2026, there are 516 numbered comets (1P–516P). There are 442 Jupiter-family comets (JFCs), 45 Encke-type comets (ETCs), 15 Halley-type comets (HTCs), five Chiron-type comets (CTCs), and one long-period comet (153P). 79 bodies are also near-Earth comets (NECs). In addition, nine numbered comets are principally classified as minor planets – six main-belt comets, two centaurs (CEN), and one Apollo asteroid – and display characteristics of both an asteroid and a comet.
Occasionally, comets will break up into multiple chunks, as volatiles coming off the comet and rotational forces may cause it to break into two or more pieces. An extreme example of this is 73P/Schwassmann–Wachmann, which broke into over 50 pieces during its 1995 perihelion.
Comets visited by spacecraft are highlighted in lime, while those proposed to be visited are highlighted in yellow.
List
1 to 100
101 to 200
201 to 300
301 to 400
401 to 500
500 to 600
Multiples
51P/Harrington
back to main list
This is a list of 51P/Harrington (3 entries) with all its cometary fragments listed at JPL's SBDB (see list).
The public source identifies “List of numbered comets” as wikimedia list article. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around List, numbered and comets.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “List of numbered comets”, the useful work is to connect “wikimedia list article” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
The citation trail is more important than the brevity of the summary: it shows where individual claims can be examined in context. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 21, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q20717865. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 2026 and 1995.
The absence of detail may reflect summary conventions rather than a lack of surviving documentation. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “List of numbered comets”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow List of numbered comets primary sources, List of numbered comets archive and List research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “List of numbered comets”?
- Which cited source is closest to the event, object or claim?
- Which institution is responsible for the underlying evidence?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “List of numbered comets” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.