C/2020 S8 (Lemmon)

DEPARTED

Type: Periodic Perihelion date: 10 April 2021 Perihelion distance (q): 2.4 Aphelion distance (Q) : 546 Period (years): 4,544 Eccentricity (e): 0.99 Inclination (i): 108.5 JPL orbit diagram COBS lightcurve The Mt Lemmon Survey discovered an asteroidal object of 20th magnitude in images taken with the 1.5m reflector on 18 September 2020 and submitted it as a potential NEO. It was posted on the PCCP as C377072. Further astrometry showed cometary features and David Rankin reported that there appeared to be two fragments in images taken with the Steward Observatory, Mt Lemmon Station 1.0m reflector. There were pre-discovery PanSTARRS (July, August, September) and Mt Lemmon (September) images. Observations (VEMag = visual equivalent magnitude) Date 10x10 mag Error VEmag Coma ' 04-May-21 15.9 0.4 12-May-21 16.8 0.4 29-May-21 18.1 0.4