Friday, January 2, 2015

Comet Lovejoy C/2014 Q2...!







An Easy to view Comet for the North Hemisphere
C/2014 Q2 (Lovejoy) using binoculars or a small
telescope!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C/2014_Q2_%28Lovejoy%29

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C/2014 Q2 (Lovejoy)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
C/2014 Q2 (Lovejoy)
C2014Q2 Lovejoy by Paul Stewart.png
Discovery
Discovered byTerry Lovejoy
0.2-m Schmidt (Q80)[1]
Discovery date17 August 2014
Orbital characteristics A
Epoch18 January 2015[2]
Perihelion1.29077 AU (q)[2]
Eccentricity0.99811[2]
Orbital period~11500 years inbound (Barycentric solution for epoch 1950)[3]
~8000 years outbound
(Barycentric solution for epoch 2050)[3]
Inclination80.301°[2]
Next perihelion30 January 2015[2]
C/2014 Q2 (Lovejoy) is a long-period comet discovered on 17 August 2014 by Terry Lovejoy using a 0.2-meter (8 in) Schmidt–Cassegrain telescope.[1] It was discovered at apparent magnitude 15 in the southern constellation of Puppis.[1] It is the fifth comet discovered by Terry Lovejoy.
By December 2014 the comet had brightened to roughly magnitude 7.4,[4] making it a small telescope and binoculars target. By mid-December the comet was visible to the naked eye for experienced observers with dark skies and keen eyesight.[5] On 28−29 December 2014, the comet passed 1/3° from globular cluster Messier 79.[6] In January 2015 it will brighten to roughly magnitude 4−5,[7] and will be one of the brightest comets located high in a dark sky in years. On 7 January 2015 the comet will pass 0.469 AU (70,200,000 km; 43,600,000 mi) from Earth.[8] It crosses the celestial equator on 9 January 2015 becoming better seen from the northern hemisphere.[9] The comet will come to perihelion (closest approach to the Sun) on 30 January 2015 at a distance of 1.29 AU from the Sun.[2]
Before entering the planetary region (epoch 1950), C/2014 Q2 had an orbital period of about 11500 years.[3] After leaving the planetary region (epoch 2050), it will have an orbital period of about 8000 years.[3]

References

  1. "MPEC 2014-Q10 : COMET C/2014 Q2 (LOVEJOY)". IAU Minor Planet Center. 2014-08-19. Retrieved 2014-09-14. (CK14Q020)
  2. "MPEC 2014-R69 : Observations and Orbits of Comets". IAU Minor Planet Center. 2014-09-07. Retrieved 2014-09-14.
  3. Horizons output. "Barycentric Osculating Orbital Elements for Comet C/2014 Q2 (Lovejoy)". Retrieved 2014-09-14. (Solution using the Solar System Barycenter and barycentric coordinates. Select Ephemeris Type:Elements and Center:@0)
  4. Yoshida, Seiichi (2014-12-07). "Weekly Information about Bright Comets (2014 Dec. 6: South)". aerith.net. Retrieved 2014-12-09.
  5. Alan MacRobert (2014-12-15). "Binocular Comet Lovejoy Heading Our Way". Sky & Telescope. Retrieved 2014-12-18.
  6. Bob King (2014-12-08). "C/2014 Q2 Lovejoy – A Binocular Comet in Time for Christmas". Universe Today. Retrieved 2014-12-09.
  7. Seiichi Yoshida (2014-09-14). "C/2014 Q2 ( Lovejoy )". Seiichi Yoshida's Comet Catalog. Retrieved 2013-09-14. (September 2014 archive)
  8. "JPL Close-Approach Data: C/2014 Q2 (Lovejoy)" (last observation: 2014-10-02; arc: 93 days). Retrieved 2014-10-26.
  9. "Elements and Ephemeris for C/2014 Q2 (Lovejoy)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 2014-10-29. (CK14Q020)

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