C/2020 M5 (ATLAS)

DEPARTED

Type: Periodic Perihelion date: 19 August 2021 Perihelion distance (q): 3.0 Aphelion distance (Q) : 14,032 Period (years): 587,869 Eccentricity (e): 1.00 Inclination (i): 93.2 JPL orbit diagram COBS lightcurve The ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System) team discovered a 19th magnitude object in images taken with the 0.5m Schmidt at Mauna Loa on 30 June 2020. It was posted on the PCCP as A10nMaI and subsequently noted as cometary by several astrometrists. Pre-discovery PanSTARRS images were reported from August, October and November 2019 but was not at that time determinable as a comet due to its faintness. Observations (VEMag = visual equivalent magnitude) Date 10x10 mag Error VEmag Coma ' 24-Sep-20 18.79 0.36 18.5 0.4 08-Oct-20 17.8 0.4 11-Oct-20 17.5 0.4 17-Nov-20 17.8 0.4 16-Feb-21 17.6 0.4 10-Apr-21 16.59 0.04 16.0 0.4 18-Apr-21 15.4 0.4 05-May-21 16.75 0.04 15.8 0.4 12-May-21 15.1 0.4 30-May-21 16.68 0.05 16.3 0.4 31-May-21 15.9 0.4 16-Jun-21 16.66 0.02 15.8 0.4 02-Jul-21 16.58 0.02 16.1 0.4 10-Mar-22 15.57 0.01 14.6 1.1 25-Mar-22 14.9 0.9 31-Mar-22 15.87 0.03 14.2 0.9 08-Apr-22 16.10 0.01 15.2 0.8 25-Apr-22 16.0 0.6 05-May-22 16.5 0.4 22-May-22 17.0 0.4 30-Nov-22 18.1 0.4 02-Feb-23 19.1 0.4