14P/Wolf

Mid-sized Jupiter-family Comet

Space Reference » Jupiter-family Comets » 14P/Wolf

Key Facts

Overview

14P/Wolf 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 not classified 14P/Wolf as potentially hazardous because its orbit does not bring it close to Earth.

14P/Wolf orbits the sun every 3,200 days (8.76 years), coming as close as 2.73 AU and reaching as far as 5.77 AU from the sun. 14P/Wolf is about 4.7 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, comparable in size to the San Francisco Bay.

The rotation of 14P/Wolf has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 9.02 hours.

No Close Approaches

14P/Wolf's orbit is 1.74 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that there is an extremely 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

14P/Wolf's orbit is determined by observations dating back to July 27, 1992. It was last officially observed on Feb. 24, 2021. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 361 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 14P/Wolf:

References

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Orbital Elements

  • Epoch: 2455880.5 JD
  • Semi-major axis: 4.247 AU
  • Eccentricity: 0.3575
  • Inclination: 27.94°
  • Longitude of Ascending Node: 202.11°
  • Argument of Periapsis: 159.2°
  • Mean Anomaly: 111.53°

Physical Characteristics

  • Diameter: 4.66000 km
  • Magnitude: 15.7

Derived Characteristics

  • Orbit Period: 3,200 days (8.76 years)
  • Avg. Orbit Speed: 14.44 km/s
  • Aphelion Distance: 5.77 AU
  • Perihelion Distance: 2.73 AU
  • Rotation Period: 9.02 hours

Map Comparison

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Orbit Simulation

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Sky Map

The position of 14P/Wolf 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 14P/Wolf 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.