P/2023 M4 (ATLAS)
Type: Periodic
Perihelion date: 15 April 2022
Perihelion distance (q): 3.9
Aphelion distance (Q) : 7.0
Period (years): 12.7
Eccentricity (e): 0.28
Inclination (i): 7.6
JPL orbit diagram
COBS lightcurve
The ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System) team discovered a 17th
magnitude object in images taken with the 0.5 m Schmidt at Sutherland, South Africa
on 21 June 2023. The comet was much brighter than might be expected given the
time from perihelion, so an outburst was suspected.
Observations (VEMag = visual equivalent magnitude)
Date
10x10 mag
Error
VEmag
Coma '
19-Jul-23
17.3
0.4
16-Aug-23
16.6
0.4
24-Aug-23
16.9
0.4
05-Sep-23
17.0
0.4
12-Sep-23
17.2
0.4
19-Sep-23
17.5
0.4