289P/Blanpain, formerly D/1819 W1 (Blanpain) is a short-period comet with an orbital period of 5.2 years. It was discovered by Jean-Jacques Blanpain on November 28, 1819 but was considered lost until it was recovered in 2013. It was last observed in 2020.

Observational history

The comet was discovered by Jean-Jacques Blanpain on November 28, 1819. Blanpain described the comet as having a "very small and confused nucleus". Another independent discovery was made on December 5 of that year by J. L. Pons. Following this the comet was lost, and was given the designation 'D' (Disappeared or Dead). However,**** in**** 2003****,**** the orbital elements**** of**** newly discovered**** asteroid**** **** were**** calculated**** by**** Marco Micheli and others**** to**** be**** a probable**** match for the lost**** comet.**** Further observations of the asteroid in 2005 by David Jewitt using the University of Hawaii 2.2 m telescope on Mauna Kea, appeared to reveal a faint coma, which supports the theory that is the lost comet, or a part of it. The comet was officially established as periodic comet 289P in July 2013, after being rediscovered by the Pan-STARRS survey during an outburst event. 289P was better viewed near and after the 2019-Dec-20 perihelion passage.

Source of Phoenicids

Comet D/1819 W1 has been proposed as the probable source of the Phoenicid meteor stream, since the first observation of a Phoenicids meteor storm in 1956. Analysis of the orbits of asteroid have supported this conjecture, and it is thought likely that the comet was already breaking up at the time of its 1819 return. The comet currently has an Earth-MOID of 0.015 AU.