(PanSTARRS)
Minorplanetyes
Background
  1. C7FF8F
DiscovererPan-STARRS 1
Discovery siteHaleakala Observatory
Discovered24 June 2020
Mp categoryChiron-type comet[1]
centaur[2]
Epoch17 December 2020 (JD 2459200.5)
Observation arc857 days (2.348 years)
Uncertainty4
Perihelion6.025 AU
Aphelion6.254 AU
Semimajor6.145 AU
Eccentricity0.01952
Period15.23 years
Inclination6.723°
Asc node1.446°
Arg peri164.5°
Mean anomaly138.7°
Mean motion/ day
Moid5.031 AU
Jupiter moid0.578 AU
Tisserand3.005
Mean diameter2.2 km (1.4 mi)[3]
Abs magnitude11.3 ± 0.03[1]
Albedo0.04–0.1 (assumed)

(PanSTARRS) is a Chiron-type comet or active centaur orbiting in the outer Solar System between Jupiter and Saturn.[4] It was discovered on 24 June 2020, by the Pan-STARRS survey at Haleakala Observatory in Hawaii, United States.[5]

Physical characteristics

Size

A lower limit for the absolute magnitude of the nucleus is Hg = 11.30 ± 0.03 that, for an albedo in the range 0.1—0.04, gives an upper limit for its size in the interval 23 km.[4] However, a follow-up study in 2022 showed that the size of its nucleus is much smaller, at only 2.2 km (1.4 mi) in diameter.[3]

Colors

The comet's color indices, (g′–r′) = 0.42 ± 0.04 and (r′–i′) = 0.17 ± 0.04, indicates the comet's nucleus has a neutral or gray color.[4]

Activity

was discovered in outburst state and by late 2020, it had returned to its regular brightness.[6][4] It was recovered by the Lowell Discovery Telescope at an extremely faint apparent magnitude of 24.5 in September 2022.[7] It was officially recognized as a comet by the Minor Planet Center on 20 November 2022, in which it was given the periodic comet designation '.[8][9]

Orbital evolution

Centaurs have short dynamical lives due to strong interactions with the giant planets.[10] follows a very chaotic orbital evolution that may lead it to be ejected from the Solar System during the next 200,000 years.[4] Extensive numerical simulations indicate that may have experienced relatively close flybys with comet 29P/Schwassmann–Wachmann, in some cases with one of both objects were transient Jovian satellites; during these events, may have crossed the coma of comet 29P when in outburst.[4]

See also

References

  1. ^ "P/ (PanSTARRS) – JPL Small-Body Database Lookup". ssd.jpl.nasa.gov. Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 2021-04-05.
  2. ^ "Orbit Fit and Astrometric record for 20MK4". Southwest Research Institute. Retrieved 11 August 2021.The Deep Ecliptic Survey Object Classifications
  3. ^ W. Romanishin & S. C. Tegler (2022). "A Partial Disintegration of Active Centaur/Comet P/?". Research Notes of the American Astronomical Society. 6 (12): 251. Bibcode:2022RNAAS...6..251R. doi:10.3847/2515-5172/aca663
  4. ^ C. de la Fuente Marcos; R. de la Fuente Marcos; J. Licandro; M. Serra-Ricart et al. (2021). "The Active Centaur". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 649 (A85): 1–15. arXiv:2104.01668. Bibcode:2021A&A...649A..85D. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202039117. S2CID 233024896
  5. ^ "MPEC 2020-N36: 2020 MK4". Minor Planet Electronic Circular. Minor Planet Center. 11 July 2020. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  6. ^ "2020 MK4 belatedly confirmed outburst". Minor Planet Mailing List. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  7. ^ "MPEC 2022-W16: 2020 MK4". Minor Planet Electronic Circular. Minor Planet Center. 16 November 2022. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
  8. ^ "MPEC 2022-W78 : COMET P/2020 MK4 (PANSTARRS)". Minor Planet Electronic Circular. Minor Planet Center. 20 November 2022. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
  9. ^ Green, Daniel W. E. (20 November 2022). "COMET P/2020 MK_4 (PANSTARRS)". Central Bureau Electronic Telegrams. Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
  10. ^ J. Horner; N. W. Evans; M. E. Bailey (2004). "Simulations of the Population of Centaurs I: The Bulk Statistics". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 354 (3): 798. arXiv:astro-ph/0407400. Bibcode:2004MNRAS.354..798H. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2004.08240.x. S2CID 16002759