10P/Tempel (0010P)

TRY AGAIN 2026

Type: Periodic Perihelion date: 2 August 2026 Perihelion distance (q): 1.4 Aphelion distance (Q) : 4.7 Period (years): 5.4 Eccentricity (e): 0.54 Inclination (i): 12.0 JPL orbit diagram COBS lightcurve Atlas The comet, also known as Tempel 2, is a periodic Jupiter-family comet in the Solar System. It was discovered in 1873 and has an orbital period of 5.3 years. The comet nucleus is estimated to be 10.6 kilometers in diameter with a low albedo of 0.022. The nucleus is dark because hydrocarbons on the surface have been converted to a dark, tarry like substance by solar ultraviolet radiation. The most favorable apparition of 10P/Tempel 2 was in 1925 when it came within 0.35 AU (52,000,000 km; 33,000,000 mi) of Earth with an apparent magnitude of 6.5. On August 3, 2026, comet Tempel 2 is expected to have another close pass within about 0.41 AU of Earth. Observations (VEMag = visual equivalent magnitude) Date 10x10 mag Error VEmag Coma ' 22-Jul-15 16.83 0.14 15.8 0.2 09-Aug-15 16.94 0.09 14.9 0.2 28-Aug-15 16.21 0.02 14.1 0.2 09-Nov-15 14.50 0.06 11.3 0.5 21-Nov-15 13.54 0.07 10.5 0.3 12-Dec-15 14.01 0.02 10.6 1.1 28-Oct-16 19.76 0.14 19.6 0.2 04-Mar-20 19.19 0.06 19.2 0.2 24-Mar-20 18.63 0.08 18.5 0.2 01-Apr-20 18.56 0.06 18.4 0.2 24-May-20 19.18 0.18 19.1 0.2 15-Sep-21 17.92 0.09 17.9 0.4