C/2021 K3 Catalina
more info
Comet C/2021 K3 was discovered on 20 May 2021 by Kitt Peak-Bok, that is about seven months before its perihelion passage.
Comet had its closest approach to the Earth on 28 June 2022 (4.36 au), almost four months after its perihelion passage. However, before perihelion passage this comet was at similar distance from the Earth (4.43 au) on 5 August 2021 (six months before perihelion).
Preferred NG solution given here is based on data span over 1.01 yr in a range of heliocentric distances: 5.58 au – 5.23 au (perihelion) – 5.30 au.
This Oort spike comet suffers small planetary perturbations during its passage through the planetary system that lead to escape the comet from the planetary zone on a hyperbolic orbit.
Comet had its closest approach to the Earth on 28 June 2022 (4.36 au), almost four months after its perihelion passage. However, before perihelion passage this comet was at similar distance from the Earth (4.43 au) on 5 August 2021 (six months before perihelion).
Preferred NG solution given here is based on data span over 1.01 yr in a range of heliocentric distances: 5.58 au – 5.23 au (perihelion) – 5.30 au.
This Oort spike comet suffers small planetary perturbations during its passage through the planetary system that lead to escape the comet from the planetary zone on a hyperbolic orbit.
| solution description | ||
|---|---|---|
| number of observations | 99 | |
| data interval | 2021 05 20 – 2022 05 24 | |
| data type | significantly more measurements before perihelion (PRE+) | |
| data arc selection | entire data set (STD) | |
| range of heliocentric distances | 5.58 au – 5.23 au (perihelion) – 5.3 au | |
| detectability of NG effects in the comet's motion | NG effects not determinable | |
| type of model of motion | GR - gravitational orbit | |
| data weighting | YES | |
| number of residuals | 191 | |
| RMS [arcseconds] | 0.21 | |
| orbit quality class | 1a | |
| orbital elements (heliocentric ecliptic J2000) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Epoch | 2022 01 21 | |
| perihelion date | 2022 02 02.77369528 | ± 0.00292770 |
| perihelion distance [au] | 5.22953754 | ± 0.00000831 |
| eccentricity | 1.00300842 | ± 0.00000696 |
| argument of perihelion [°] | 182.005655 | ± 0.000328 |
| ascending node [°] | 114.451941 | ± 0.000017 |
| inclination [°] | 134.775335 | ± 0.000031 |
| reciprocal semi-major axis [10-6 au-1] | -575.27 | ± 1.33 |
Time distribution of positional observations with corresponding heliocentric (red curve) and geocentric (green curve) distance at which they were taken. The horizontal dotted line shows the perihelion distance for a given comet whereas vertical dotted line — the moment of perihelion passage.