* Astronomy

Blobrana · L

RE: Comet P/2013 J2 (MCNAUGHT)

Blobrana · L

Comet century may be telescope's last

Australia's only comet-hunting telescope has just detected its 100th comet.
The discovery makes the Uppsala telescope at Siding Springs in outback New South Wales the third most successful ground-based comet discovery observatory in history.
But with funding cuts on the horizon, celebrations may be shortlived.
Designated C/2013-J2, the new visitor is a long period comet, meaning its orbit will take at least 200 years to complete.
Read more

Blobrana · L

Ephemeris

Date    TT    R. A. (2000) Decl.     Delta      r     Elong.  Phase   Mag
2013 05 08    20 59 18.5 -17 52 11   1.9563  2.2818    95.2    26.1  18.0
2013 05 09    21 00 33.8 -17 40 46   1.9421  2.2785    95.9    26.2  18.0
2013 05 10    21 01 48.2 -17 29 18   1.9279  2.2753    96.5    26.2  18.0
2013 05 11    21 03 01.7 -17 17 46   1.9138  2.2721    97.1    26.2  18.0
2013 05 12    21 04 14.2 -17 06 10   1.8997  2.2689    97.8    26.2  18.0
2013 05 13    21 05 25.6 -16 54 30   1.8857  2.2657    98.4    26.2  17.9
2013 05 14    21 06 36.1 -16 42 46   1.8718  2.2626    99.0    26.2  17.9
2013 05 15    21 07 45.5 -16 30 59   1.8579  2.2595    99.7    26.2  17.9
2013 05 16    21 08 53.9 -16 19 09   1.8440  2.2564   100.3    26.2  17.9
2013 05 17    21 10 01.3 -16 07 14   1.8303  2.2533   101.0    26.1  17.8
2013 05 18    21 11 07.6 -15 55 16   1.8166  2.2503   101.6    26.1  17.8
2013 05 19    21 12 12.8 -15 43 15   1.8029  2.2472   102.3    26.1  17.8
2013 05 20    21 13 16.9 -15 31 11   1.7894  2.2442   102.9    26.1  17.8
2013 05 21    21 14 19.9 -15 19 03   1.7759  2.2412   103.6    26.0  17.8
2013 05 22    21 15 21.8 -15 06 51   1.7625  2.2383   104.3    26.0  17.7
2013 05 23    21 16 22.6 -14 54 37   1.7491  2.2354   104.9    26.0  17.7
2013 05 24    21 17 22.2 -14 42 19   1.7359  2.2324   105.6    25.9  17.7
2013 05 25    21 18 20.7 -14 29 59   1.7227  2.2296   106.3    25.9  17.7
2013 05 26    21 19 17.9 -14 17 35   1.7096  2.2267   106.9    25.8  17.6
2013 05 27    21 20 14.0 -14 05 08   1.6965  2.2239   107.6    25.7  17.6
2013 05 28    21 21 08.9 -13 52 39   1.6836  2.2210   108.3    25.7  17.6
2013 05 29    21 22 02.5 -13 40 06   1.6707  2.2183   109.0    25.6  17.6
2013 05 30    21 22 54.9 -13 27 31   1.6579  2.2155   109.7    25.5  17.6
2013 05 31    21 23 46.0 -13 14 54   1.6452  2.2128   110.4    25.4  17.5

Blobrana · L

Orbital elements:
    P/2013 J2 (McNaught)
T 2013 Aug. 26.98723 TT                                 MPC
q   2.0868486            (2000.0)            P               Q
n   0.11450058     Peri.   39.41152     +0.82514985     +0.50766373
a   4.2001448      Node   288.37332     -0.56142134     +0.68824029
e   0.5031484      Incl.   15.13603     -0.06272006     +0.51826909
P   8.61
From 12 observations 2013 May 8-10.

MPEC 2013 - J38

Key to Orbital elements

Comet P/2013 J2 (MCNAUGHT) was discovered by R. H. McNaught (Siding Spring Survey), on the 8th May, 2013. The preliminary orbital elements of the comet indicate perihelion passage on the 26th August, 2013 at a distance of approximately 2.1 AU from the Sun, and an orbital period of 8.6 years.