C/2022 L2 (ATLAS)

Type: Hyperbolic Perihelion date: 12 March 2024 Perihelion distance (q): 2.7 Aphelion distance (Q) : n/a Period (years): n/a Eccentricity (e): 1.00 Inclination (i): 129.3 JPL orbit diagram COBS lightcurve Atlas The ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System) team discovered an 18th magnitude comet in images taken with the 0.5 m Schmidt at Mauna Loa on 10 June 2022. Although currently classed as a hyperbolic comet by the MPC and JPL, the uncertainty of measurement suggests that parabolic is more than likely and the CBET give a parabolic orbit. Observations (VEMag = visual equivalent magnitude) Date 10x10 mag Error VEmag Coma ' 27-Jul-22 18.7 0.4 31-Jul-22 18.9 0.4 23-Aug-22 18.4 0.4 21-Sep-22 18.2 0.4 02-Oct-22 18.6 0.4 11-Oct-22 17.2 0.4 23-Oct-22 18.3 0.4 31-Oct-22 18.4 0.4 04-Mar-23 17.0 0.4 28-May-23 16.6 0.4 10-Jun-23 16.4 0.4 24-Jun-23 16.4 0.4 10-Jul-23 16.4 0.4 18-Jul-23 16.6 0.4 02-Aug-23 16.6 0.4 09-Aug-23 16.5 0.4 16-Aug-23 16.5 0.4 22-Feb-24 15.5 0.6 14-Mar-24 15.2 0.6 28-Apr-24 14.5 1.3 11-May-24 15.1 0.9