| 101P/Chernykh | |
| Discoverer: | Nikolai Stepanovich Chernykh |
| Discovery Date: | August 19, 1977 |
| Designations: | 1978 IV; 1992 II |
| Epoch: | January 21, 2022 |
| Semimajor: | 5.805 AU |
| Perihelion: | 2.344 AU |
| Aphelion: | 9.266 AU |
| Eccentricity: | 0.5962 |
| Period: | 13.99 yr (5109 days) (5130 days for 101P-B) |
| Inclination: | 5.052° |
| Last P: | January 12, 2020 (A) January 31, 2020 (B) December 25, 2005 (A) December 24, 2005 (B) |
| Next P: | 2034-Jan-10 (A) (Horizons) 2034-Feb-21 (B) (Horizons) |
101P/Chernykh[1] is a periodic comet which was first discovered on August 19, 1977, by Nikolaj Stepanovich Chernykh. It will next come to perihelion (closest approach to the Sun) in 2034.
In 1991, 101P/Chernykh was observed to split. Zdenek Sekanina, from JPL, concluded that the comet split in April 1991, when 3.3 AU from the Sun.
The primary nucleus is 5.6km (03.5miles) in diameter and was last observed in 2022. Fragment B has not been observed since 2006. As of epoch 2022, fragment B takes 21 days longer to orbit the Sun.
| 2005 | 1 day | |
| 2020 | 18 days | |
| 2034 | 43 days |