C/2012 K1 (PanSTARRS)
Oort cloud comet
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
C/2012 K1 (PanSTARRS) is a retrograde Oort cloud comet discovered at magnitude 19.7, 8.7 AU from the Sun on 17 May 2012 using the Pan-STARRS telescope located near the summit of Haleakalā, on the island of Maui in Hawaii (U.S.).[1]
| |
| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Pan-STARRS 1.8-m Ritchey–Chrétien (F51)[1] |
| Discovery date | 17 May 2012 |
| Orbital characteristics | |
| Epoch | 11 August 2014[2] |
| Orbit type | Oort cloud |
| Aphelion | ~52000 AU (inbound)[3] ~14000 AU (outbound) |
| Perihelion | 1.0545 AU (q)[2] |
| Eccentricity | 1.00021[2] |
| Orbital period | several million years inbound (Barycentric solution for epoch 1950)[3] ~600000 yr outbound (Barycentric solution for epoch 2050)[3] |
| Inclination | 142.43°[2] |
| Last perihelion | 27 August 2014[2] |
| Jupiter MOID | 1.5 AU |
| Physical characteristics[4][5] | |
| Dimensions | 2.4–4.4 km (1.5–2.7 mi) |
Mean diameter | 3.4 km (2.1 mi) |
| 9.4±0.4 hours | |
The comet started 2014 as a Northern Hemisphere object. By late April 2014 it had brightened to roughly apparent magnitude ~8.8[6] making it a small telescope/binoculars target for experienced observers. In June and July 2014 the comet was near the Sickle of Leo.[7] As of 3 July 2014 the comet had brightened to magnitude 7.9.[8]
From 12 July 2014 until 6 September 2014 it had an elongation less than 30 degrees from the Sun.[6] The comet came to perihelion (closest approach to the Sun) on 27 August 2014 at a distance of 1.05 AU (157,000,000 km; 98,000,000 mi) from the Sun.[2] It crosses the celestial equator on 15 September 2014 becoming a Southern Hemisphere object.[6]
The comet peaked around magnitude 6.9 in mid-October 2014[9][10] when it had an elongation of around 75 degrees from the Sun.[6] It is visible in binoculars and small telescopes.
