P/2011 NO1

P/2011 NO1 (Elenin)
Discovery
Discovered by: Leonid Elenin[1]
0.45-m reflector (H15)[2][3]
Discovery date: 7 July 2011[2]
Orbital characteristics A
Epoch: 15 July 2011[4]
(JD 2455757.5)
Aphelion: 9.8 AU (Q)
Perihelion: 1.24 AU (q)
Semi-major axis: 5.5 AU (a)
Eccentricity: 0.77
Orbital period: 13 ± 0.16 yr
Inclination: 15°
Last perihelion: 20 January 2011[4]
Next perihelion: around January 2024[5]

P/2011 NO1 (Elenin) is a periodic comet with a preliminary orbital period estimated at 13 ± 0.16 years.[4] It came to perihelion (closest approach to the Sun) around 20 January 2011 at 1.2 AU from the Sun.[4] The orbit is preliminary as it has only been observed over an observation-arc of 22 days.[4] The comet was discovered on 7 July 2011[2] when the comet was 2.38 AU from the Sun and 1.4 AU from the Earth. It came to opposition 178.6° from the Sun on 22 July 2011 in the constellation Sagittarius.

The preliminary orbit shows the next perihelion passage to be around January 2024.[5] An observation arc of 30 days would allow a better refinement to the orbit of this comet.

P/2011 NO1 was the second comet discovered by Leonid Elenin. The first comet discovered by Elenin was comet C/2010 X1.

References

  1. ^ Sostero, Giovanni; Howes, Nick; Guido, Ernesto (19 July 2011). "New Comet: P/2011 NO1". Associazione Fruilana di Astronomia e Meteorologia. http://remanzacco.blogspot.com/2011/07/new-comet-p2011-no1.html. Retrieved 19 July 2011. 
  2. ^ a b c "MPEC 2011-O09 : 2011 NO1". IAU Minor Planet Center. 18 July 2011. http://www.minorplanetcenter.net/mpec/K11/K11O09.html. Retrieved 19 July 2011. 
  3. ^ "MPEC 2011-O10 : COMET P/2011 NO1". IAU Minor Planet Center. 19 July 2011. http://www.minorplanetcenter.net/mpec/K11/K11O10.html. Retrieved 19 July 2011. 
  4. ^ a b c d e "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2011 NO1)". Jet Propulsion Laboratory. 29 July 2011 last obs (preliminary 22 day arc). http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=2011NO1. Retrieved 19 July 2011. 
  5. ^ a b Horizons output. "Observer Table for 2011 NO1". http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/horizons.cgi?find_body=1&body_group=sb&sstr=2011NO1. Retrieved 19 July 2011.  (Observer Location:@sun)

External links