New Comet: C/2014 J1 (CATALINA)

Cbet nr. 3868, issued on 2014, May 16, announces the discovery of an apparently asteroidal object (~ magnitude 18.2) on CCD images taken on 2014, May 09.3 by R. J. Sanders with the Catalina Sky Survey's 0.68-m Schmidt telescope. This object has been found to show cometary appearance by observers elsewhere. The new comet has been designated C/2014 J1 (CATALINA).

We performed follow-up measurements of this object, while it was still on the neocp. Stacking of 50 unfiltered exposures, 15-sec each, obtained remotely on 2014, May 16.4 from Q62 (iTelescope network, Siding Spring) through a 0.70-m f/6.6 CDK astrograph + CCD, shows that this object is slightly diffused. The FWHM of this object was measured about 20% wider than that of nearby field stars of similar brightness (at the moment of our imaging session the Moon - 0.98 phase - was just about 40 degree away from the comet).

Our confirmation image (click on it for a bigger version)

M.P.E.C. 2014-K04 assigns the following parabolic orbital elements to comet C/2014 J1: T 2014 June 13.44; e= 1.0; Peri. = 191.98; q = 1.74;  Incl.= 160.18

by Ernesto Guido, Nick Howes & Martino Nicolini

Close Approach of Asteroid 2014 JR24

The asteroid 2014 JR24 was discovered (at magnitude ~17.2) on 2014, May 06.3 by Catalina Sky Survey (MPC code 703) with a 0.68-m Schmidt + CCD. 

2014 JR24 has an estimated size of 3.7 m - 8.2 m (based on the object's absolute magnitude H=29.3) and it had a close approach with Earth at about 0.3 LD (Lunar Distances = ~384,000 kilometers) or 0.0007 AU (1 AU = ~150 million kilometers) at 1045 UT on 2014, May 07. This asteroid reached the peak magnitude ~15.6 on May 07, 2014.

We performed some follow-up measurements of this object on 2014, May 07.3, remotely from the H06 iTelescope network (New Mexico) through a 0.43-m f/6.8 astrograph + CCD. Below you can see our image taken with the asteroid at magnitude ~15.7 and moving at ~466.77 "/min. At the moment of its close approach at 1045 UT, 2014 JR24 was moving at ~526 "/min. Click on the image below to see a bigger version. North is up, East is to the left (the asteroid is trailed in the image due to its fast speed).

Below you can see a short animation showing the movement of 2014 JR24 (two consecutive 60-second exposure). Click on the thumbnail for a bigger version:

by Ernesto Guido, Nick Howes & Martino Nicolini

Close Approach of Asteroid 2014 HO132

The asteroid 2014 HO132 was discovered (at magnitude ~19.6) on 2014, April 28.4 by F51 Pan-STARRS 1, Haleakala survey.

2014 HO132 has an estimated size of 19 m - 42 m (based on the object's absolute magnitude H=25.7) and it had a close approach with Earth at about 2.1 LD (Lunar Distances = ~384,000 kilometers) or 0.0055 AU (1 AU = ~150 million kilometers) at 0810 UT on 2014, May 05. This asteroid reached the peak magnitude ~15.6 on May 04, 2014.

We performed some follow-up measurements of this object on 2014, May 05.5, remotely from the Q62 iTelescope network (Siding Spring) through a 0.50-m f/6.8 astrograph + CCD + f/4.5 focal reducer.

Below you can see our image taken with the asteroid at magnitude ~16.4 and moving at ~135.47 "/min. At the moment of its close approach at 0810 UT, 2014 HO132 was moving at ~141 "/min. Click on the image below to see a bigger version. North is up, East is to the left (the asteroid is trailed in the image due to its fast speed).

Below you can see a short animation showing the movement of 2014 HO132 (three consecutive 90-second exposure). Click on the thumbnail for a bigger version:

UPDATE - May 08, 2014

Asteroid 2014 HO132 was observed on May 03, 2014 by radar at Goldstone. Below you can find the radar images, sums of fifteen consecutive runs at a resolution of 3.75 m x 0.11 Hz resolution (click on it for a bigger version).

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/GSSR

by Ernesto Guido, Nick Howes & Martino Nicolini

Comet 209P/LINEAR & its Meteor Shower

209P/LINEAR is a periodic comet discovered by the Lincoln Laboratory Near-Earth Asteroid Research (LINEAR) survey on five images taken on 2004, February 3.40 (discovery magnitude ~18.1). Reported by LINEAR as an apparent asteroidal object, it has been found to show a narrow 1'.1 tail in p.a. 274 deg (slightly expanding toward the end) on CCD images obtained by R. H. McNaught with the 1.0-m f/8 reflector at Siding Spring on Mar. 30.8 UT. This comet has been assigned the permanent designation 209P on 2008, December 12 (previous designation were P/2008 X2 (LINEAR) = P/2004 CB).

We performed follow-up measurements of this object on 2014, April 14.95 with the 2.0-m f/10.0 Ritchey-Chretien + CCD telescope of La Palma-Liverpool (J13 MPC code). You can see our image below with the comet a about magnitude ~17. (click on it for a bigger version). 

According to a prediction by E. Lyytinen and P. Jenniskens, comet 209P/LINEAR will possibly cause a big meteor shower on May 24, 2014. On May 29, 2014 this comet will pass just 0.055 AU from Earth or about ~8 million km (while the perihelion,  i.e. closest approach to the Sun, will be on May 6, 2014) making it one of the closest comet approaches in history. Comet 209P/LINEAR will be at magnitude ~10 around the time of the shower.

The main source of activity should become 1898-1919 trails, however some meteors could be produced by the earlier trails of the comet, down to 1763 trail, which is the oldest computed trail, and even earlier. The computed time of maximum activity is May 24, 2014, at 7:21 UT, theoretical radiant is RA=122.8, Dec=+79.0 (in the constellation Camelopardalis).

Exact timing and activity level is difficult to estimate due to the limited physical observations of this comet. The estimate of level of the shower is based on available photometric measurements of the comet. Estimates give a ZHR of 100/hr to 400/hr, which is an excellent outburst! But this shower can become an exceptional one. "Indeed, given the current orbit of the comet (from JPL HORIZONS ephemerids database), ALL THE TRAILS EJECTED BETWEEN 1803 AND 1924 DO FALL IN THE EARTH PATH IN MAY 2014!!!" As a consequence, this shower might as well be a storm.  Below you can see a graph with the location of the meteoroid stream ejected by the comet at the Earth in 2014:

Credit: IMCCE 2013

According to the image below (showing the hemisphere of Earth that will be facing the incoming dust particles from Comet  209P/LINEAR when the activity peaks on May 24, 2014), skywatchers in southern Canada and the continental  U.S. will be especially well positioned to watch the sky show. 

Credit: M. Maslov

A recent paper by Q. Ye and P. A. Wiegert reanalyzes the optical observations of 209P/LINEAR obtained during its 2009 apparition, They found that the comet is relatively depleted in dust production, with Afρ at 1 cm level within eight months around its perihelion. This feature suggested that this comet may be currently transitioning from typical comet to a dormant comet. Given that the comet is relatively depleted in dust production they concluded that a meteor storm may be unlikely. We are analyzing our recent observation to calculate the Afρ parameter and we'll post the results here as soon as they are available.

UPDATE - May 13, 2014 

Below you can see the graph showing our Afρ results obtained analyzing our follow-up image of 08 May 2014. The Afρ parameter is  ~2 cm, a very low value that is in line with the results outlined in the Ye and Wiegert's paper with the comet that seems at present relatively depleted in dust production (click on the image for a bigger version).

The image  below is showing the tail's position of comet 209P in relation to the Sun position (indicated by the S on the arrow in the yellow circle).

by E. Guido, N. Howes, B. Mueller, M. Nicolini, N. Samarasinha

New Comet: C/2014 F1 (HILL)

Cbet nr. 3840, issued on 2014, April 01, announces the discovery of a comet (~ magnitude 18.6) on CCD images taken on 2014, March 29.4 by R. E. Hill with the Catalina Sky Survey's 0.68-m Schmidt telescope. The new comet has been designated C/2014 F1 (HILL).

We performed follow-up measurements of this object, while it was still on the neocp. Stacking of 10 unfiltered exposures, 60-sec each, obtained remotely on 2014, March 30.4 from H06 (iTelescope network - New Mexico) through a 0.50-m f/6.8 astrograph + CCD + f/4.5 focal reducer, shows that this object is a comet: coma about 5" in diameter elongated toward PA 215.

Our confirmation image (click on it for a bigger version).

 

 

M.P.E.C. 2014-G02 assigns the following very preliminary parabolic orbital elements to comet C/2014 F1: T 2013 Oct. 27.18; e= 1.0; Peri. = 13.93; q = 3.62;  Incl.= 108.91

by Ernesto Guido, Nick Howes & Martino Nicolini

New Comet: C/2014 E2 (JACQUES)

Cbet nr. 3828, issued on 2014, March 14, announces the discovery of a comet (~ magnitude 14.7) on CCD images taken by  C. Jacques, E. Pimentel and J. Barros using a 0.45-m f/2.9 reflector at the SONEAR Observatory near Oliveira, Brazil. The new comet has been designated C/2014 E2 (JACQUES).

We performed follow-up measurements of this object, while it was still on the neocp. Stacking of 19 unfiltered exposures, 30-sec each, obtained remotely from MPC code Q62 (iTelescope, Siding Spring) on 2014, March 13.6 through a 0.50-m f/6.8 astrograph + CCD, shows that this object is a comet: very bright coma nearly 2 arcmin in diameter elongated in PA 10.

Our confirmation image (click on it for a bigger version).

M.P.E.C. 2014-E84 assigns the following very preliminary parabolic orbital elements to comet C/2014 E2: T 2014 June 29.52; e= 1.0; Peri. = 349.10; q = 0.60;  Incl.= 157.19

Big Congrats to our friend Cristovao Jacques and all the SONEAR team for the discovery of their second comet! Click here to find more info about their first comet.

UPDATE - March 16, 2014

According to the very preliminary orbit, comet C/2014 E2 will have a close approach with planet Venus on 2014, July 13 at 0.088 AU.

 Discovery images of C/2014 E2

Credit: SONEAR

Below you can see a graph generated using the software Orbitas and showing the predicted magnitude (in red) versus the elongation (click on the image for a bigger version). A word of caution: as always with comets, the future magnitudes reported here are only indicative.

UPDATE - October 02, 2014

Our follow-up image of comet C/2014 E2 (JACQUES) obtained on August 25, 2014 through the 2-meter Liverpool Telescope (MPC code J13). Click on it for a bigger version.

by Ernesto Guido, Nick Howes & Martino Nicolini

Close Approach of Asteroid 2014 DX110

The asteroid 2014 DX110 was discovered (at magnitude ~20) on 2014, February 28 by F51 Pan-STARRS 1 , Haleakala survey.

2014 DX110 has an estimated size of 19 m - 43 m (based on the object's absolute magnitude H=25.7) and it will have a close approach with Earth at about 0.9 LD (Lunar Distances = ~384,000 kilometers) or 0.0023 AU (1 AU = ~150 million kilometers) at 2100 UT on 2014, March 05. This asteroid will reach the peak magnitude ~14.8 on March 05, 2014.

We performed some follow-up measurements of this object on 2014, March 05.6, remotely from the Q62 iTelescope network (Siding Spring) through a 0.32-m f/9.0 Ritchey-Chretien + CCD + f/6.1 focal reducer.

Below you can see our image taken with the asteroid at magnitude ~15.2 and moving at ~145.84 "/min. At the moment of its close approach in the next few hours, 2014 DX110 will move at ~509"/min. Click on the image below to see a bigger version. North is up, East is to the left (the asteroid is trailed in the image due to its fast speed).

According to a preliminary light-curve published on MPML mailing list by B. Warner, this asteroid is a fast rotator with a period of 0.1204 h (7.2 min) and amplitude 0.36 mag.  Click on the image below to see a bigger version.

Credit: Brian Warner

by Ernesto Guido, Nick Howes & Martino Nicolini