Comet 177P/Barnard, also known as Barnard 2, is a periodic comet with an orbital period of 119 years. It fits the classical definition of a Halley-type comet with (20 years < period < 200 years). The comet, also designated P/2006 M3, discovered by Edward Emerson Barnard on June 24, 1889, and was re-discovered after 116 years. Read more
The comet is currently at magnitude 8.5 in the constellation Perseus. It was rediscovered since its last observation in 1889. It will be observable at 8-9 mag until September in the Northern Hemisphere.
177P/2006 M3 (Barnard) = P/1889 M1 The comet 2006 M3 (Barnard) is currently moving through the constellation Hercules up towards Draco. The re-discovery of the comet, which had not been seen since 1889, was by the LINEAR survey (it was reported as an asteroid, but found to be cometary by other observers), IAUC 8726, on the 26th June, 2006. Luca Buzzi, of the Schiaparelli Observatory, Varese, Italy, was among the first to observe the object (MPEC 2006-m38). The comet will be visible in the Northern hemisphere throughout this month. It is starting to brighten (now at magnitude 8.5) and moving rapidly northwards.