C/2012 K1 (PanSTARRS)

Not to be confused with the comet C/2011 L4 (PanSTARRS) that became bright in March 2013.

C/2012 K1 (PanSTARRS)
NEOWISE series of infrared images of C/2012 K1 on 20 May 2014
Discovery
Discovered byPan-STARRS
1.8-m Ritchey–Chrétien (F51)[1]
Discovery date17 May 2012
Orbital characteristics
Epoch11 August 2014[2]
Orbit typeOort cloud
Aphelion~52000 AU (inbound)[3]
~14000 AU (outbound)
Perihelion1.0545 AU (q)[2]
Eccentricity1.00021[2]
Orbital periodseveral million years inbound (Barycentric solution for epoch 1950)[3]
~600000 yr outbound
(Barycentric solution for epoch 2050)[3]
Inclination142.43°[2]
Last perihelion27 August 2014[2]
Jupiter MOID1.5 AU

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]

The comet started 2014 as a Northern Hemisphere object. By late April 2014 it had brightened to roughly apparent magnitude ~8.8[4] making it a small telescope/binoculars target for experienced observers. In June and July 2014 the comet was near the Sickle of Leo.[5] As of 3 July 2014 the comet had brightened to magnitude 7.9.[6]

From 12 July 2014 until 6 September 2014 it had an elongation less than 30 degrees from the Sun.[4] 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.[4]

The comet peaked around magnitude 6.9 in mid-October 2014[7][8] when it had an elongation of around 75 degrees from the Sun.[4] It is visible in binoculars and small telescopes.

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference MPEC2012-K36 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b c d e f Cite error: The named reference MPEC2014-K54 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference barycenter was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference MPC was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference ST140611 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Yoshida140720 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Yoshida141020 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference Yoshida was invoked but never defined (see the help page).