C/2012 K1 (PANSTARRS)
DEPARTED
Type: Hyperbolic
Perihelion date: 27 August 2014
Perihelion distance (q): 1.1
Aphelion distance (Q) : n/a
Period (years): n/a
Eccentricity (e): 1.00
Inclination (i): 142.4
JPL orbit diagram
COBS lightcurve
Pan-STARRS discovered a 19th magnitude comet on 17 May 2012. Calculations by
Hirohisa Sato suggested a more interesting perihelion distance of around 1 au in
August or September 2014, compared to the original MPEC orbit. This was
confirmed by further observations, which gave perihelion at 1.1 au in August 2014.
By March 2014 it was under visual observation. By April it was well placed for
observation, entering Ursa Major, and by the end of the month was high in the sky in
the early evening. The comet was near its brightest at 7th magnitude in mid October
2014.
Observations (VEMag = visual equivalent magnitude)
Date
10x10 mag
Error
VEmag
Coma '
28-Feb-13
15.99
0.05
15.8
0.5
11-Mar-13
16.20
0.03
16.0
0.4
24-Mar-13
16.01
0.04
15.7
0.2
03-Apr-13
16.06
0.04
15.7
0.3
22-Apr-13
15.87
0.06
15.4
0.3
01-May-13
15.82
0.02
15.3
0.4
08-May-13
16.09
0.01
15.5
0.3
09-Jun-13
15.41
0.03
14.7
0.4
17-Jun-13
15.49
0.04
15.1
0.3
28-Jun-13
15.46
0.02
14.8
0.4
08-Jul-13
15.61
0.01
14.3
0.4
18-Jul-13
15.54
0.02
14.8
0.3
28-Jul-13
15.39
0.02
14.5
0.4
12-Aug-13
15.52
0.01
14.7
0.5
24-Aug-13
15.58
0.02
14.8
0.4
21-Sep-14
11.17
0.01
7.9
2.8
25-Sep-14
11.29
0.01
8.0
2.0
26-Sep-14
11.27
0.03
8.1
3.3
29-Sep-14
11.30
0.01
8.3
3.5
02-Oct-14
11.34
0.01
8.3
2.7
06-Oct-14
11.39
0.01
8.3
3.6
11-Oct-14
11.42
0.01
8.3
4.6
15-Oct-14
11.47
0.02
8.2
4.7
18-Oct-14
11.48
0.01
8.4
4.0
24-Oct-14
11.57
0.02
8.2
4.9
25-Oct-14
11.74
0.00
8.5
4.7
28-Oct-14
11.35
0.01
8.2
4.5
01-Nov-14
11.95
0.01
8.8
4.5
07-Nov-14
11.65
0.02
8.3
4.5
10-Nov-14
11.86
0.03
8.6
4.3
16-Nov-14
12.00
0.04
8.8
4.4
20-Nov-14
12.41
0.03
9.2
3.7
23-Nov-14
11.74
0.03
8.2
4.2
26-Nov-14
12.67
0.03
9.1
3.8
30-Nov-14
12.83
0.02
9.5
2.8
03-Dec-14
12.84
0.03
9.6
2.8
06-Dec-14
12.93
0.02
9.2
1.3
07-Dec-14
12.83
0.02
9.6
2.9
11-Dec-14
13.02
0.01
9.7
3.0
14-Dec-14
12.97
0.02
9.6
3.3
17-Dec-14
13.14
0.03
9.8
1.8
20-Dec-14
13.20
0.03
9.8
2.0
23-Dec-14
13.36
0.02
10.1
1.8
26-Dec-14
13.35
0.07
10.2
0.6
29-Dec-14
13.43
0.03
10.3
1.4
01-Jan-15
13.64
0.02
10.5
1.0
14-Jan-15
13.83
0.05
11.1
0.8
17-Jan-15
13.95
0.03
10.6
0.6
23-Jan-15
14.08
0.03
11.3
1.2
26-Jan-15
14.04
0.05
10.9
0.7
29-Jan-15
14.16
0.02
11.3
0.6
03-Feb-15
14.30
0.05
11.8
0.3
09-Feb-15
14.48
0.01
11.6
0.4
30-Apr-15
15.49
0.06
13.5
0.2
03-Jun-15
15.92
0.04
14.4
0.2
15-Aug-15
16.08
0.02
13.4
0.3
22-Aug-15
16.18
0.09
14.3
0.2
04-Sep-15
16.22
0.02
13.8
0.4
12-Sep-15
16.28
0.02
13.8
0.4
21-Sep-15
16.31
0.02
13.1
0.3
07-Oct-15
16.72
0.02
14.2
0.2
18-Oct-15
16.93
0.04
14.8
0.2
30-Oct-15
17.07
0.03
15.0
0.2
07-Nov-15
17.25
0.01
15.4
0.2
16-Nov-15
17.18
0.10
14.2
0.2