Key Facts

Overview

C/1983 H1 (IRAS-Araki-Alcock) is a mid-sized comet whose orbit does not match any defined comet orbit class. NASA JPL has not classified IRAS-Araki-Alcock as potentially hazardous because its orbit does not bring it close to Earth.

IRAS-Araki-Alcock orbits the sun every 355,000 days (971.94 years), coming as close as 0.99 AU and reaching as far as 195.07 AU from the sun. Its orbit is highly elliptical. IRAS-Araki-Alcock is about 9.2 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, comparable in size to the San Francisco Bay.

No Close Approaches

IRAS-Araki-Alcock's orbit is 0.01 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that its orbit is relatively close to Earth's orbit.

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

Images and Observations

IRAS-Araki-Alcock's orbit is determined by observations dating back to April 27, 1983. It was last officially observed on Oct. 4, 1983. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 347 observations used to determine its orbit.

Accessibility and Exploration

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

References

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Orbital Elements

  • Epoch: 2445467.5 JD
  • Semi-major axis: 98.03 AU
  • Eccentricity: 0.9899
  • Inclination: 73.25°
  • Longitude of Ascending Node: 49.1°
  • Argument of Periapsis: 192.85°
  • Mean Anomaly: 359.99°

Physical Characteristics

  • Diameter: 9.20000 km
  • Albedo: 0.02

Derived Characteristics

  • Orbit Period: 355,000 days (971.94 years)
  • Avg. Orbit Speed: 3.00 km/s
  • Aphelion Distance: 195.07 AU
  • Perihelion Distance: 0.99 AU

Map Comparison

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Orbit Simulation

Sky Map

The position of C/1983 H1 (IRAS-Araki-Alcock) 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.