63P/Wild

63P/Wild, also known as Wild 1, is a periodic comet discovered by Swiss astronomer Paul Wild on January 6, 1960. It has an orbital period of approximately 6.4 years and is a Jupiter-family comet, meaning its orbit is influenced by the gravitational pull of Jupiter.

The comet gained significant attention when it became the target of NASA's Stardust mission. Stardust successfully flew within 236 kilometers (147 miles) of the comet's nucleus on January 2, 2004, collecting samples of dust and gas from its coma. These samples were then returned to Earth in January 2006, providing scientists with valuable insights into the composition of comets and the early solar system.

Analysis of the Stardust samples revealed that Comet Wild 2 contained minerals formed at high temperatures close to the Sun, suggesting that material from the inner solar system may have been transported outwards to the region where comets form. This discovery challenged previous models of solar system formation and provided evidence for mixing of materials across different regions of the protoplanetary disk.

The name "Wild 1" distinguishes it from another comet discovered by Paul Wild, 81P/Wild 2. Studying 63P/Wild continues to contribute to our understanding of cometary composition, origin, and their role in the evolution of the solar system.