75D/Kohoutek

75D/Kohoutek is a short-period comet discovered in February 1975, by Luboš Kohoutek. Even on the discovery plate the comet was only apparent magnitude 14.^[1] Assuming the comet has not disintegrated the 2020-2021 perihelion passage is only expected to peak around apparent magnitude 20.

Not to be confused with the much better-known C/1973 E1 (Kohoutek), 75D is a repeat visitor to the inner Solar System, with a period of about seven years. It was placed on the discovery orbit when it passed 0.143 AU (21,400,000 km; 13,300,000 mi) from Jupiter on 28 July 1972.^[1][2] Apparitions have been dim, with the brightest being in 1988 at about apparent magnitude 13.^[1] It was not seen in 1994, 2000, 2007, nor on its last predicted return in 2014. The comet has been estimated to be 4.6 kilometres (2.9 mi) in diameter.^[2]

This comet was last observed by Mauna Kea on 19 May 1988.^[3] The Minor Planet Center has given the comet a "D/" designation as the comet is believed to be lost.^[3][4] The comet is calculated to come to opposition in October 2020 in the constellation of Pisces.^{[needs update]}