C/2017 S3 (PANSTARRS)
DISINTEGRATED
Type: Hyperbolic
Perihelion date: 15 August 2018
Perihelion distance (q): 0.2
Aphelion distance (Q) : n/a
Period (years): n/a
Eccentricity (e): 1.00
Inclination (i): 99.0
JPL orbit diagram
COBS lightcurve
A 21st magnitude comet was discovered in PanSTARRS 1 images taken with the
1.8m Ritchey-Chretien on 23 September 2017. It had been posted on the PCCP as
P10DwLA.
The comet was at perihelion at 0.2 au in August 2018. It was reported as unexpectly
bright in images taken by Michael Jager on 1 July, when compared to the previous
day, with an estimated magnitude of 9. It was not clear at the time whether this was
an outburst or the coma passing a threshold. The comet passed into conjunction and
was not recovered when it emerged. JJ Gonzalez was however able to see the faint
cloud of material that was all that remained of the comet in October and November.
Observations (VEMag = visual equivalent magnitude)
Date
10x10 mag
Error
VEmag
Coma '
27-Sep-17
20.29
0.08
20.0
0.2
11-Oct-17
20.58
0.31
19.6
0.2
24-Jun-18
15.50
0.02
12.4
1.2
14-Jul-18
14.41
0.07
11.2
3.8