300P/Catalina
Second comet on Sentry Risk Table; large near-Earth object.
300P/Catalina is a periodic near-Earth comet that orbits the Sun once every 4.4 years. It holds the distinction of being only the second comet ever placed on the Sentry Risk Table, and with a diameter of about 1.4 kilometers (0.87 miles), it is also among the largest objects ever tracked on that list.
The comet was first spotted on May 6, 2005, under the temporary designation 2005 JQ5, and was immediately added to the Sentry Risk Table with five potential impact scenarios starting in 2041. Eleven days later, it was reclassified as a comet and named P/2005 JQ5 (Catalina). It was removed from the risk table on June 7, 2005. The Arecibo Observatory observed it on June 12, 2005. The comet makes close approaches to Earth, with an Earth-Minimum Orbit Intersection Distance (MOID) of 0.0245 AU (about 3.67 million kilometers). On June 8, 2036, it is predicted to pass 0.0536 AU (roughly 8.02 million kilometers) from our planet.
300P/Catalina is thought to be the parent body of the minor June Epsilon Ophiuchids meteor shower. An outburst of this shower occurred from June 19 to June 26, 2019, during which the Cameras for Allsky Meteor Surveillance (CAMS) network detected 88 of these meteors. Between June 22 and 24, the June Epsilon Ophiuchids accounted for half of all fireball detections. This outburst suggests past activity from the comet. The shower's radiant is located near right ascension 16h21m (245.2°) and declination -7.4° in the constellation Ophiuchus, and the meteors travel at about 14 km/s. The radiant is spread over a large, scattered area, and the shower may be linked to several other minor showers.
In 2019, 300P/Catalina was named as one of ten backup targets for the European Space Agency's Comet Interceptor mission. If selected, the spacecraft—scheduled for launch in 2029—could perform a flyby of the comet on June 19, 2036.
Quick Facts
- Discovery Site
- Catalina Sky Survey
- Discovery Date
- 6 May 2005
- Mpc Name
- P/2005 JQ · 5 / P/2014 G2
- Designations
- Catalina 3nasa-pds
- Orbit Ref
- jpldata · MPC
- Epoch
- 6 April 2023<≠
- Observation Arc
- 13.6 years
- Semimajor
- 2.6985 AU (a)
- Perihelion
- 0.83207 AU (q)
- Aphelion
- 4.565 AU (Q)
- Eccentricity
- 0.69165
- Period
- 4.43 years
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
300P/Catalina was discovered on 6 May 2005 as 2005 JQ5 and was listed on the Sentry Risk Table with five virtual impactors starting in 2041. On 17 May 2005 it was designated as comet P/2005 JQ5 (Catalina). It was removed from the Sentry Risk Table on 7 June 2005. The comet was observed by Arecibo Observatory on 12 June 2005.
The comet makes close approaches to Earth and has an Earth-MOID of 0.0245 AU (3,670,000 km; 2,280,000 mi). On 8 June 2036 the comet will pass 0.0536 AU (8,020,000 km; 4,980,000 mi) from Earth.
300P/Catalina is suspected of being the parent body of the minor June Epsilon Ophiuchids meteor shower. An outburst of meteor activity occurred from 19 June 2019 until 26 June 2019, when 88 June epsilon Ophiuchids were detected by the Cameras for Allsky Meteor Surveillance (CAMS) network. The June epsilon Ophiuchids created 50% of the fireball detections in the period 22–24 June. This outburst offers evidence of past activity of 300P/Catalina. The radiant is near 16:21 (245.2) -7.4 in the constellation of Ophiuchus. The meteors have a velocity of around 14 km/s.
Reader's Guide
300P/Catalina holds significance as the second comet ever listed on the Sentry Risk Table, and at 1.4 km in diameter it is one of the largest objects ever listed there. Its removal from the table on 7 June 2005, shortly after discovery, indicates that initial impact concerns were resolved. The comet's suspected link to the June Epsilon Ophiuchids meteor shower, supported by a 2019 outburst detected by the CAMS network, suggests past cometary activity and a debris trail that intersects Earth's orbit. The outburst, which produced 50% of fireball detections over 22–24 June 2019, provides observational evidence of the comet's ongoing fragmentation or outgassing. In 2019, 300P/Catalina was listed as one of 10 backup targets for the European Space Agency's Comet Interceptor mission, scheduled for launch in 2029. If selected, the spacecraft may conduct a flyby of the comet on 19 June 2036. This potential mission underscores the comet's continued scientific interest as a near-Earth object with a well-characterized orbit and physical size.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is 300P/Catalina?
300P/Catalina is a periodic near-Earth comet that circles the Sun roughly every 4.4 years, with a nucleus about 1.4 kilometers (0.87 miles) across. It was first detected on May 6, 2005, under the provisional label 2005 JQ5, and was reclassified as a comet just eleven days later.
What makes 300P/Catalina stand out among tracked near-Earth objects?
It became only the second body ever placed on NASA's Sentry Risk Table, a distinction very few objects have achieved. At nearly 0.87 miles in diameter, it also ranks among the largest objects ever tracked on that particular list.
How did 300P/Catalina's Sentry Risk Table episode end?
Early observations flagged five possible impact scenarios starting in 2041, but additional tracking data showed the trajectory posed no genuine threat. The comet was removed from the table, and its minimum orbit intersection distance with Earth settled at about 0.0245 AU (roughly 3.67 million km).
Why is 300P/Catalina important to the near-Earth object community?
Its brief but alarming appearance on the Sentry Risk Table illustrated how cometary orbits, with their higher eccentricities, can make impact-risk calculations far more uncertain than for typical asteroids. The episode reinforced the need for rapid reclassification and sustained follow-up observations whenever a new object is discovered.
When will 300P/Catalina next come close to Earth?
The comet's next notable close approach is projected for June 8, 2036, at a minimum distance of approximately 3.67 million kilometers (2.28 million miles). Because its orbital period is about 4.4 years, fans can expect it to re-enter the inner solar system on roughly that same cycle.
More in Periodic Comets 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced