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Comet 10P/Tempel 2 Returns: Periodic Comet with 5.5-Year Orbit
Comet 10P/Tempel 2 returns and becomes observable again from Earth after about five-and-a-half years. It is a periodic comet that completes one orbit around the Sun every 5.5 years, and its last sighting is in 2021.
Comet 10P/Tempel 2 (Periodic Comet):
| Dimension | Key Details |
|---|---|
| Classification | Comet 10P/Tempel 2 comprises a periodic comet. |
| Discovery | Comet 10P/Tempel 2 has been discovered in 1873. |
| Orbital period | One orbit around the Sun comprises 5.5 years. |
| Last sighting | The comet’s last sighting comprises 2021. |
| Visibility from Earth | Visibility during a return applies to how close it comes to Earth and its position relative to the Sun in the sky. |
| Brightness during apparition | Greater brightness applies to the phase when the comet is closest to the Sun, and the Sun’s heat causes more ice to vaporise, creating the coma and tail. |
| Best observation conditions | Best observation applies to a dark location away from city lights on a clear, moonless night. |