C/2012 F6 (Lemmon): Difference between revisions

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| image=C2012F6Lemmon.jpg
| image=C2012F6Lemmon.jpg
| caption=Comet Lemmon in [[Tucana]] on 16 February 2013
| caption=Comet Lemmon in [[Tucana]] on 16 February 2013
| discoverer=A. R. Gibbs<br/>[[Mount Lemmon|Mt. Lemmon Survey]] ([[List of observatory codes#G00-G99|G96]])<ref name="MPEC2012-F88">{{cite web
| discoverer=A. R. Gibbs<br/>[[Mount Lemmon|Mt. Lemmon Survey]] ([[List of observatory codes#G00-G99|G96]])<ref name="MPEC2012-F88">{{cite web|date=26 March 2013|title=MPEC 2012-F88 : COMET C/2012 F6 (LEMMON)|publisher=IAU Minor Planet Center|url=http://www.minorplanetcenter.net/mpec/K12/K12F88.html|accessdate=2013-01-28}}</ref>
|date=2012-03-26
|title=MPEC 2012-F88 : COMET C/2012 F6 (LEMMON)
|publisher=IAU Minor Planet Center
|url=http://www.minorplanetcenter.net/mpec/K12/K12F88.html
|accessdate=2013-01-28}}</ref>
| discovery_date=23&nbsp;March 2012
| discovery_date=23&nbsp;March 2012
| designations=
| designations=
| epoch=2012-Oct-28<br/>([[Julian day|JD]] 2456228.5)
| epoch=28 October 2012<br/>([[Julian day|JD]] 2456228.5)
| semimajor=487.1051 AU (a)
| semimajor=487.1051 [[Astronomical Unit|AU]] (a)
| perihelion=0.73126 AU (q)
| perihelion=0.73126 AU (q)
| aphelion=973.47895 [[Astronomical Unit|AU]] (Q)
| aphelion=973.47895 AU (Q)
| eccentricity=0.99850 (e)
| eccentricity=0.99850 (e)
| period=~8000 [[Julian year (astronomy)|yr]]<br>(Barycentric solution for [[Epoch (astronomy)|epoch]] 2050)<ref name=barycenter/>
| period=~8000 [[Julian year (astronomy)|yr]]<br>(Barycentric solution for [[Epoch (astronomy)|epoch]] 2050)<ref name=barycenter/>
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}}
}}


'''C/2012 F6 (Lemmon)''' is a [[long-period comet]] discovered in [[Leo (constellation)|Leo]] on 23 March 2012, by A. R. Gibbs<ref name="MPEC2012-F88"/> using the 1.5-m reflector at the [[Mount Lemmon|Mt. Lemmon Survey]], located at the summit of Mount Lemmon in the Catalina Mountains north of [[Tucson, Arizona]], USA. The comet peaked at an [[apparent magnitude]] of 5.<ref name=Yoshida/>
'''C/2012 F6 (Lemmon)''' is a [[long-period comet]] discovered in [[Leo (constellation)|Leo]] on 23 March 2012, by A. R. Gibbs<ref name="MPEC2012-F88"/> using the 1.5-m&nbsp;reflector at the [[Mount Lemmon|Mt. Lemmon Survey]], located at the summit of Mount Lemmon in the [[Catalina Mountains]] north of [[Tucson, Arizona]], USA. The comet peaked at an [[apparent magnitude]] of 5.<ref name=Yoshida/>

== Discovery ==
A.R.&nbsp;Gibbs of the [[Mount Lemmon Observatory]] in [[Arizona]] discovered the comet based on images acquired by the [[sky survey]]'s 1.5-m&nbsp;reflecting telescope on 23 March 2012.<ref name=CometographyLemmon /> However, Gibbs did not recognize its cometary appearance and was listed as an asteroid on the [[Minor Planet Center]]'s [[Near Earth Object]] confirmation page.<ref name=NewComets>{{cite web|title=New comets COMET P/2012 F5 (Gibbs) & C/2012 F6 (Lemmon)|url=http://schiaparelli204.wordpress.com/2012/03/26/new-comets-comet-p2012-f5-gibbs-c2012-f6-lemmon/|work="G.V.Schiaparelli" Astronomical Observatory|publisher=WordPress|accessdate=27 November 2013|author=G.V.Schiaparelli|date=March 26, 2012}}</ref> At the time, the [[apparent magnitude]] of the comet was estimated between +20.6&nbsp;and +20.8. Shortly after initial discovery, amateur astronomer Peter Birtwhistle in [[Great Shefford]] observed the comet using a 40-cm&nbsp;refracting telescope and [[Charge-coupled device|CCD]] images, estimating an apparent magnitude of +20.1 and a diameter stretching 5&nbsp;[[arc second]]s across.<ref name=CometographyLemmon>{{cite web|title=C/2012 F6 (Lemmon)|url=http://cometography.com/lcomets/2012f6.html|publisher=Cometography.com|accessdate=27 November 2013|author=Kronk, Gary W.}}</ref>


== Observing prospects ==
== Observing prospects ==
It was well placed for viewing in the [[southern hemisphere]] in January 2013 to observe it brightening, crossing [[Centaurus]], [[Crux]] and [[Chameleon]], and into February when it was circumpolar in [[Octans]]. By the end of February it set early evening situated in [[Phoenix (constellation)|Phoenix]], was observable well into March. After perihelion the comet should be reasonably well placed in the morning sky to observe as it fades.<ref name="CAMnotes20131">{{cite web
It was well placed for viewing in the [[southern hemisphere]] in January 2013 to observe it brightening, crossing [[Centaurus]], [[Crux]] and [[Chameleon]], and into February when it was circumpolar in [[Octans]]. By the end of February it set early evening situated in [[Phoenix (constellation)|Phoenix]], was observable well into March. After perihelion the comet should be reasonably well placed in the morning sky to observe as it fades.<ref name="CAMnotes20131">{{cite web|date=2012-12-29|title=CAMnotes 2013 No. 1 January-March|publisher=Tim Cooper, Director, Comet Asteroid and Meteor Section, Astron.Soc.Southern Africa|url=http://assa.saao.ac.za/sections/comet-meteor/ASSA_CAMnotes_2013_No_1.pdf|accessdate=2013-01-28}}</ref> The comet was visible in the [[STEREO]] heliospheric imager HI-2A starting on 17 April.<ref name=Musgrave/>
|date=2012-12-29
|title=CAMnotes 2013 No. 1 January-March
|publisher=Tim Cooper, Director, Comet Asteroid and Meteor Section, Astron.Soc.Southern Africa
|url=http://assa.saao.ac.za/sections/comet-meteor/ASSA_CAMnotes_2013_No_1.pdf
|accessdate=2013-01-28}}</ref> The comet was visible in the [[STEREO]] heliospheric imager HI-2A starting on 17 April.<ref name=Musgrave/>


C/2012 F6 crossed the [[celestial equator]] on 20 April 2013 becoming a [[northern hemisphere]] object. On 9 May 2013 the comet was near [[Gamma Pegasi]] and from a dark sky was visible in [[binoculars]] before sunrise low in the eastern sky.<ref name=Astrobob/>
C/2012 F6 crossed the [[celestial equator]] on 20 April 2013 becoming a [[northern hemisphere]] object. On 9 May 2013 the comet was near [[Gamma Pegasi]] and from a dark sky was visible in [[binoculars]] before sunrise low in the eastern sky.<ref name=Astrobob/>


== Gallery ==
<gallery>
Comets-Yuri-Beletsky.jpg|Comets Lemmon and [[C/2011 L4]] from [[Las Campanas Observatory]] on 1 March
Comet C2012 F6 (Lemmon) - 1 Mar 2013.jpg|Comet Lemmon on 1 March from [[Mount Burnett Observatory]]
Comets and Shooting Stars Dance Over Paranal.jpg|Lemmon in conjunction with C/2011&nbsp;L4 and a meteoroid trail from [[Paranal Observatory]] on 5 March
</gallery>
== References ==
== References ==
{{reflist
{{reflist

Revision as of 21:29, 27 November 2013

C/2012 F6 (Lemmon)
Comet Lemmon in Tucana on 16 February 2013
Discovery
Discovered byA. R. Gibbs
Mt. Lemmon Survey (G96)[1]
Discovery date23 March 2012
Orbital characteristics
Epoch28 October 2012
(JD 2456228.5)
Aphelion973.47895 AU (Q)
Perihelion0.73126 AU (q)
Semi-major axis487.1051 AU (a)
Eccentricity0.99850 (e)
Orbital period~8000 yr
(Barycentric solution for epoch 2050)[2]
Inclination82.60839° (i)
Last perihelion2013-03-24.516

C/2012 F6 (Lemmon) is a long-period comet discovered in Leo on 23 March 2012, by A. R. Gibbs[1] using the 1.5-m reflector at the Mt. Lemmon Survey, located at the summit of Mount Lemmon in the Catalina Mountains north of Tucson, Arizona, USA. The comet peaked at an apparent magnitude of 5.[3]

Discovery

A.R. Gibbs of the Mount Lemmon Observatory in Arizona discovered the comet based on images acquired by the sky survey's 1.5-m reflecting telescope on 23 March 2012.[4] However, Gibbs did not recognize its cometary appearance and was listed as an asteroid on the Minor Planet Center's Near Earth Object confirmation page.[5] At the time, the apparent magnitude of the comet was estimated between +20.6 and +20.8. Shortly after initial discovery, amateur astronomer Peter Birtwhistle in Great Shefford observed the comet using a 40-cm refracting telescope and CCD images, estimating an apparent magnitude of +20.1 and a diameter stretching 5 arc seconds across.[4]

Observing prospects

It was well placed for viewing in the southern hemisphere in January 2013 to observe it brightening, crossing Centaurus, Crux and Chameleon, and into February when it was circumpolar in Octans. By the end of February it set early evening situated in Phoenix, was observable well into March. After perihelion the comet should be reasonably well placed in the morning sky to observe as it fades.[6] The comet was visible in the STEREO heliospheric imager HI-2A starting on 17 April.[7]

C/2012 F6 crossed the celestial equator on 20 April 2013 becoming a northern hemisphere object. On 9 May 2013 the comet was near Gamma Pegasi and from a dark sky was visible in binoculars before sunrise low in the eastern sky.[8]

Gallery

References

  1. ^ a b "MPEC 2012-F88 : COMET C/2012 F6 (LEMMON)". IAU Minor Planet Center. 26 March 2013. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  2. ^ Horizons output. "Barycentric Osculating Orbital Elements for Comet C/2012 F6 (Lemmon)". Retrieved 23 April 2013. (Solution using the Solar System Barycenter and barycentric coordinates. Select Ephemeris Type:Elements and Center:@0)
  3. ^ Yoshida, Seiichi. "C/2012 F6 ( Lemmon )". www.aerith.net. Retrieved 27 April 2013.
  4. ^ a b Kronk, Gary W. "C/2012 F6 (Lemmon)". Cometography.com. Retrieved 27 November 2013.
  5. ^ G.V.Schiaparelli (26 March 2012). "New comets COMET P/2012 F5 (Gibbs) & C/2012 F6 (Lemmon)". "G.V.Schiaparelli" Astronomical Observatory. WordPress. Retrieved 27 November 2013.
  6. ^ "CAMnotes 2013 No. 1 January-March" (PDF). Tim Cooper, Director, Comet Asteroid and Meteor Section, Astron.Soc.Southern Africa. 29 December 2012. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  7. ^ Musgrave, Ian (22 April 2013). "Comet C/2012 F6 Lemmon in STEREO, April 17-19 2013". Retrieved 30 April 2013.
  8. ^ King, Bob (2 May 2013). "Sweeten your May mornings with Comet Lemmon". Retrieved 3 May 2013.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=C/2012_F6_(Lemmon)&oldid=583581886"