C/1965 S1-A (Ikeya-Seki)

Key Facts

• Categorized as a Unclassified Comet
• Not a Near Earth Object
• Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
• See orbit simulation

Overview

Comet C/1965 S1-A (Ikeya-Seki) is an object whose orbit does not match any defined comet orbit class. NASA JPL has not classified Ikeya-Seki as potentially hazardous because its orbit does not bring it close to Earth.

Ikeya-Seki orbits the sun every 321,000 days (878.85 years), coming as close as 0.01 AU and reaching as far as 183.19 AU from the sun. Its orbit is highly elliptical.

No Close Approaches

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

Images and Observations

Ikeya-Seki's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Sept. 21, 1965. It was last officially observed on Jan. 14, 1966. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 119 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

• JPL Small Body Database
• Mission Design
• Sky Finder Chart

Orbit Simulation

Sky Map

The position of C/1965 S1-A (Ikeya-Seki) 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.