C/2017 K2 (PanSTARRS)
Globular Cluster Messier 10. | |
Discovery | |
---|---|
Discovery date | 21 May 2017[1] |
Orbital characteristics | |
Epoch | 2022-12-07 (2459920.5) |
Observation arc | 9.46 years |
Number of observations | 477 |
Orbit type | Oort cloud |
Aphelion | ~50000 AU (inbound)[2] ~1400 AU (outbound)[2] |
Perihelion | 1.7969 AU[3] |
Eccentricity | ~0.99992 (inbound) ~0.9975 (outbound)[2] |
Orbital period | Millions of years inbound[2] ~19,000 years (outbound)[2] |
Inclination | 87.563° |
88.26730 | |
Last perihelion | 19 December 2022[3][4][a] |
Earth MOID | 1.10 AU (165 million km) |
Jupiter MOID | 1.29 AU |
Physical characteristics | |
Dimensions | Rn between 14 km (8.7 mi) and 80 km (50 mi)[5] maximum Dn ~18 km (11 mi)[6] |
C/2017 K2 (PanSTARRS) is an
The comet is record breaking because it was already becoming active at such a distance. Only
Research with the
The comet was within 5 AU (750 million km) of Earth by 11 January 2022.
On 27 July 2021, further detailed observations of the comet were reported on The Astronomer's Telegram.[15][16]
JPL Horizons models that C/2017 K2 took millions of years to come from the Oort cloud at a distance of roughly 50,000 AU (0.8 ly).[2] The heliocentric orbital eccentricity drops below 1 in December 2023.[17] The outbound orbital period will be around 19000 years with aphelion being around 1400 AU.[2] There was a dispute whether that was the first time the comet entered the inner solar system, but its orbit suggests that the comet isn't dynamically new and there is a 29% chance that the comet is of interstellar origin and was captured by the solar system within the last 3 million years.[18]
Gallery
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June 2017 by Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3[19]
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11" fast Astrograph on 2022-07-16 while near Messier 10
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Path of C/2017 K2 in the sky
References
- IAU Minor Planet Center. 2017-05-24. Retrieved 2017-10-21. (CK17K020) (2.6 day observation arc with perihelion estimated to be in 2027)
- ^ Barycenter. Ephemeris Type:Elements and Center:@0 (To be outside planetary region, inbound epoch 1950 and outbound epoch 2050. For epoch 2050-Jan-01 orbit period is "PR= 6.58E+06 / 365.25 days" = ~18,000 years)
- ^ a b c "C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS) Orbit". Minor Planet Center. Archived from the original on 2017-11-13. Retrieved 2017-11-13.
- ^ a b c Seiichi Yoshida. "C/2017 K2 ( PanSTARRS )". Seiichi Yoshida's Comet Catalog. Retrieved 2020-06-02.
- ^ S2CID 119214098.
- ^ S2CID 119347880.
- ^ "MPEC 2017-N26 : COMET C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS)". IAU Minor Planet Center. 2017-07-01. Retrieved 2017-10-21.
- ^ Horizons output. "Current distance from the Sun with 3-sigma uncertainty in km".
- ^ Byrd, Deborah (2 October 2017). "Farthest active inbound comet yet". Earth & Sky. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
- S2CID 235166808.
- ^ Manzini, Federico; et al. (17 September 2020). "ATel #14026: Morphological structures in the inner coma of comet C/2017 K2 (PanStarrs)". The Astronomer's Telegram. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
- ^ "5au from Earth". JPL Horizons. Retrieved 2022-01-07.
- ^ "Closest Approach to Earth in July 2022 (3 hour interval)" (Closest Earth approach occurs when deldot flips from negative to positive). JPL Horizons. Archived from the original on 2022-06-22. Retrieved 2022-06-21.
- ^ Hubble Spots Farthest-Ever Incoming Active Comet September 29, 2017
- ^ Manzini, Federico; et al. (27 July 2021). "ATel #14813: Comet C/2017 K2 (PanStarrs) shows jet-shaped dust emissions modulated by extremely slow rotation at greater-than-usual distance from the Sun". The Astronomer's Telegram. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
- ^ Manzini, Federico; et al. (27 July 2021). "ATel #14814: Erratum to ATEL #14813: Comet C/2017 K2 (PanStarrs) shows jet-shaped dust emissions modulated by extremely slow rotation at greater-than-usual distance from the Sun". The Astronomer's Telegram. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
- ^ Horizons output. "Heliocentric Osculating Orbital Elements for Comet C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS) dropping below 1.0".
- S2CID 118938922.
- ^ "Distant active comet C/2017 K2". www.spacetelescope.org. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
Notes
- ^ a b Perihelion passage: Upon discovery perihelion was still 5 years away. An epoch of 2022 gives a more accurate perihelion date that properly accounts for planetary perturbations. An epoch 2017 unperturbed two-body solution (Sun+comet) gives a date of 2022-Dec-21. Integrating the orbit with JPL Horizons which accounts for planetary perturbations gives a date of 2022-Dec-19. The Minor Planet Center's Epoch Dec 2022 solution also gives a date of 2022 Dec. 19
- ) at 1.79 AU.
External links
- C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS) Taken by ALBERTO QUIJANO VODNIZA on August 9, 2022 @ PASTO,NARINO. COLOMBIA
- A Comet Active Beyond the Crystallization Zone
- MPEC 2017-K90 : COMET C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS)
- NASA's Hubble Observes the Farthest Active Inbound Comet Yet Seen
- Note on the dynamical evolution of C/2017 K2 PANSTARRS (arXiv 2018)
- C/2017 K2 EarthSky July 12, 2022
- C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS) motion as seen by Catalina Sky Survey 22 August 2020