C/2011 J2

C/2011 J2 (LINEAR)
Discovery
Discovered by LINEAR (704)[1][2]
Discovery date 4 May 2011
Orbital characteristics A
Epoch 14 December 2013[3]
Perihelion 3.4434 AU (q)[3]
Eccentricity 1.00051[3]
Orbital period several million years inbound (Barycentric solution for epoch 1950)[4]
Ejection trajectory outbound
(Barycentric solution for epoch 2050)[4]
Inclination 122.79°[3]
Last perihelion 25 December 2013[3]

C/2011 J2 (LINEAR) is an Oort cloud comet discovered on 4 May 2011 by LINEAR at an apparent magnitude of 19.7 using a 1-meter (39 in) Reflecting telescope.[1][2] As of September 2014 the comet is around apparent magnitude 17.[3]

C/2011 J2 came to perihelion (closest approach to the Sun) on 25 December 2013 at a distance of 3.4 AU from the Sun.[3] On 27 August 2014 an 18th magnitude fragment CK11J02b was detected.[3] Preliminary estimates are that a fragmentation event occurred around 14 July 2014 plus/minus ten days.[5] In mid-July 2014 the comet was 3.9 AU from the Sun.

Fragment C was detected in October 2014 by Ernesto Guido, Nick Howes, and Martino Nicolini.[6]

C/2011 J2 is dynamically new. It came from the Oort cloud with a loosely bound chaotic orbit that was easily perturbed by galactic tides and passing stars. Before entering the planetary region (epoch 1950), C/2011 J2 had an orbital period of several million years.[4] After leaving the planetary region (epoch 2050), it will be on an ejection trajectory.[4]

References

  1. 1 2 "MPEC 2011-J31 : COMET C/2011 J2 (LINEAR)". IAU Minor Planet Center. 2011-07-07. Retrieved 2014-09-18. (CK11J020)
  2. 1 2 Giovanni Sostero & Ernesto Guido (2011-07-12). "New Comet: C/2011 J2 (LINEAR)". Remanzacco. Retrieved 2014-09-18.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "MPEC 2014-R69 : Observations and Orbits of Comets". IAU Minor Planet Center. 2014-09-07. Retrieved 2014-09-18.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Horizons output. "Barycentric Osculating Orbital Elements for Comet C/2011 J2 (LINEAR)". Retrieved 2014-09-18. (Solution using the Solar System Barycenter and barycentric coordinates. Select Ephemeris Type:Elements and Center:@0)
  5. ↑ "Re: {MPML} C/2011 J2 LINEAR Nucleus splitting". 2014-09-17. Retrieved 2014-09-18.
  6. ↑ Ernesto Guido, Nick Howes & Martino Nicolini (2011-10-13). "New fragmentation event in C/2011 J2 (LINEAR)". Remanzacco. Retrieved 2014-11-21.
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