Key Facts
- Categorized as a Jupiter-family Comet
- Comparable in size to Mount Everest (2.00 km diameter)
- Will pass within 15,386,698 km of Earth in 2050
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
104P/Kowal 2 is a mid-sized comet whose orbit features a relatively short period, low inclination, and is controlled by Jupiter's gravitational effects. NASA JPL has classified 104P/Kowal 2 as a "Near Earth Asteroid" due to its orbit's proximity to Earth, but it is not considered potentially hazardous because computer simulations have not indicated any imminent likelihood of future collision.
104P/Kowal 2 orbits the sun every 2,100 days (5.75 years), coming as close as 1.07 AU and reaching as far as 5.34 AU from the sun. 104P/Kowal 2 is about 2.0 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, comparable in size to Mount Everest.
Close Approaches
104P/Kowal 2's orbit is 0.11 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.
104P/Kowal 2 has 1 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Jan. 10, 2050 | 15,386,698 | 12.097 |
Images and Observations
104P/Kowal 2's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Jan. 4, 2016. It was last officially observed on June 12, 2022. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 1,551 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 104P/Kowal 2:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2459486.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 3.208 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.6655
- Inclination: 5.7°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 207.21°
- Argument of Periapsis: 227.25°
- Mean Anomaly: 342.05°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: 2.00000 km
- Magnitude: 14.6
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 2,100 days (5.75 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 16.62 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 5.34 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 1.07 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 104P/Kowal 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.
Size Rendering
The above comparison is an artistic rendering that uses available data on the diameter of 104P/Kowal 2 to create an approximate landscape rendering with Mount Everest in the background. This approximation is built for full-resolution desktop browsers. Shape, color, and texture of asteroid are imagined.
