Key Facts
- Categorized as a Encke-type Comet
- Comparable in size to the U.S. Pentagon (1.46 km diameter)
- Not a Near Earth Object
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
82P/Gehrels 3 is a mid-sized comet whose orbit brings it closer to the sun than Jupiter. NASA JPL has not classified 82P/Gehrels 3 as potentially hazardous because its orbit does not bring it close to Earth.
82P/Gehrels 3 orbits the sun every 3,070 days (8.41 years), coming as close as 3.63 AU and reaching as far as 4.64 AU from the sun. 82P/Gehrels 3 is about 1.5 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, comparable in size to the U.S. Pentagon.
No Close Approaches
82P/Gehrels 3's orbit is 2.64 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
82P/Gehrels 3's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Oct. 27, 1975. It was last officially observed on May 20, 2020. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 143 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 82P/Gehrels 3:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2452484.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 4.135 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.1233
- Inclination: 1.13°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 239.59°
- Argument of Periapsis: 227.5°
- Mean Anomaly: 38.99°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: 1.46000 km
- Magnitude: 7.6
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 3,070 days (8.41 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 14.65 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 4.64 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 3.63 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 82P/Gehrels 3 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 82P/Gehrels 3 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.
