Tempel 1

9P/Tempel
	Composite of images of nucleus obtained by the Deep Impact impactor
Discovery
Discovered by	Wilhelm Tempel
Discovery date	3 April 1867
Designations
MPC designation	P/1867 G1, P/1873 G1; P/1967 L1, P/1972 A1;
Alternative designations	Tempel 1; 1867 II, 1873 I, 1879 III; 1966 VII, 1972 V, 1978 II; 1983 XI, 1989 I, 1994 XIX; 1873a, 1879b, 1972a; 1977i, 1982j, 1989 I; 1987e1, 1993c;
Orbital characteristics
Epoch	25 February 2023 (JD 2460000.5)
Aphelion	4.757 AU
Perihelion	1.545 AU; (1.77 AU after 2024 Jupiter approach)
Semi-major axis	3.151 AU
Eccentricity	0.5097
Orbital period	5.59 years
Inclination	10.474°
Longitude of; ascending node	68.64°
Argument of; periapsis	179.54°
Last perihelion	4 March 2022; 2 August 2016
Next perihelion	12 February 2028
Earth MOID	0.52 AU
Physical characteristics
Dimensions	7.6 km × 4.9 km (4.7 mi × 3.0 mi)
Mass	7.2×1013 to 7.9×1013 kg
Mean density	0.62 g/cm3
Synodic rotation period	40.7 hours

Tempel 1 (official designation: 9P/Tempel) is a periodic Jupiter-family comet discovered by Wilhelm Tempel in 1867. It completes an orbit of the Sun every 5.6 years. Tempel 1 was the target of the Deep Impact space mission, which photographed a deliberate high-speed impact upon the comet in 2005. It was re-visited by the Stardust spacecraft on 14 February 2011, and came back to perihelion in August 2016. On 26 May 2024, it made a modest approach to Jupiter at a distance of 0.55 AU (82 million km)^[2]^[3] which will lift the perihelion distance and 9P will next come to perihelion on 12 February 2028 when it will be 1.77 AU (265 million km) from the Sun.^[1]

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