276P/Vorobjov

276P/Vorobjov

Stack of 4x40s exposures by Andrea Boattini at Mt. Lemmon (G96)
Discovery
Discovered by Tomas Vorobjov
0.8-m Schulman Telescope (G84)
Discovery date 15 October 2012
Alternative
designations		 P/2012 T7 (VOROBJOV)
Orbital characteristics A
Epoch 2456320.5
(2013 Jan. 28.0)[1]
Aphelion 6.86878 AU[1]
Perihelion 3.92386 AU[1]
Semi-major axis 5.39632 AU[1]
Eccentricity 0.27286 [1]
Orbital period 12.50 a[1]
Inclination 14.4656°[1]
Last perihelion 2013 Jan. 16.14[1]
Next perihelion 2024-Dec-10[2]

276P/Vorobjov (previously P/2012 T7 (VOROBJOV)) is a Jupiter-family comet discovered on 15 October 2012 by Tomas Vorobjov on three 120-s images taken remotely using the 0.81-m f/7 Ritchey-Chretien Schulman Telescope located at the Mt. Lemmon SkyCenter via the Sierra Stars Observatory Network in the course of a minor-planet search survey undertaken as part of the International Astronomical Search Collaboration (IASC) school campaigns. After posting on the Minor Planet Center's NEOCP webpage, other observers have commented on the object's cometary appearance.[3][4] The discovery was announced by the Minor Planet Center on 18 October, three days after the discovery.[5]

Prediscovery

On December 29, 2012, Robert Matson (Newport Coast, CA, USA) has identified NEAT observations of this comet obtained with the Palomar 1.2m Schmidt telescope on December 19, 2000 and January 20, 2001, and G. V. Williams (MPC) has confirmed the identity; Williams then identified prediscovery observations acquired by A. Boattini at Mount Lemmon (G96) on 2011 Nov 1. in incidental astrometry sent to the Minor Planet Center, when the object's magnitude was measured as being 21.1-21.8.[1]

Confirmation

A confirmation set of images were taken by R. Holmes the following night with a 0.61-m f/4 astrograph from Westfield, IL (H21) and showed a 6″ coma and a tail 25″ long in PA 260°. Due to its cometary appearance, the object was posted on the NEO Confirmation Page under the temporary designation TOV7DD.

Gallery

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 "MPEC 2012-Y39: COMET P/2012 T7 (VOROBJOV)". IAU Minor Planet Center. 2012-11-16. Retrieved 2012-12-30.
  2. ↑ "276P/Vorobjov Orbit". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 2014-06-20.
  3. ↑ "New Comet: P/2012 T7 (VOROBJOV)". Remanzacco. 2012-10-18. Retrieved 2012-10-18.
  4. ↑ "New comet P/2012 T7 (Vorobjov)". Luca Buzzi. 2012-10-19. Retrieved 2012-10-19.
  5. ↑ "MPEC 2012-U40 : COMET P/2012 T7 (VOROBJOV)". IAU Minor Planet Center. 2012-10-18. Retrieved 2012-10-18.

External links