Key Facts

Overview

10P/Tempel 2 is a large comet whose orbit features a relatively short period, low inclination, and is controlled by Jupiter's gravitational effects. NASA JPL has not classified 10P/Tempel 2 as potentially hazardous because its orbit does not bring it close to Earth.

10P/Tempel 2 orbits the sun every 1,960 days (5.37 years), coming as close as 1.42 AU and reaching as far as 4.71 AU from the sun. 10P/Tempel 2 is about 10.6 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, comparable in size to the city of Boston.

The rotation of 10P/Tempel 2 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 8.93 hours.

No Close Approaches

10P/Tempel 2's orbit is 0.41 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that there is a wide berth between this asteroid and Earth at all times.

Orbital simulations conducted by NASA JPL's CNEOS do not show any close approaches to Earth.

Images and Observations

10P/Tempel 2's orbit is determined by observations dating back to March 7, 2003. It was last officially observed on April 12, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 4,406 observations used to determine its orbit.

Accessibility and Exploration

This comet is not considered a viable target for human exploration by the NHATS study.

Similar Objects

These objects have orbits that share similar characteristics to the orbit of 10P/Tempel 2:

References

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Orbital Elements

  • Epoch: 2456350.5 JD
  • Semi-major axis: 3.065 AU
  • Eccentricity: 0.5363
  • Inclination: 12.03°
  • Longitude of Ascending Node: 117.8°
  • Argument of Periapsis: 195.55°
  • Mean Anomaly: 177.92°

Physical Characteristics

  • Diameter: 10.60000 km
  • Magnitude: 14.3
  • Albedo: 0.022

Derived Characteristics

  • Orbit Period: 1,960 days (5.37 years)
  • Avg. Orbit Speed: 17.01 km/s
  • Aphelion Distance: 4.71 AU
  • Perihelion Distance: 1.42 AU
  • Rotation Period: 8.93 hours

Map Comparison

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Orbit Simulation

Sky Map

The position of 10P/Tempel 2 is indicated by a ◯ pink circle. Note that the object may not be in your current field of view. Use the controls below to adjust position, location, and time.