P/2011 NO1 (Elenin)

P/2011 NO1 (Elenin)
Discovery
Discovered by Leonid Elenin[1]
0.45-m reflector (H15)[2][3]
Discovery date 7 July 2011[2]
Orbital characteristics A
Epoch 15 July 2011[4]
(JD 2455757.5)
Aphelion 9.8 AU (Q)
Perihelion 1.24 AU (q)
Semi-major axis 5.5 AU (a)
Eccentricity 0.77
Orbital period 13 ± 0.16 yr
Inclination 15°
Last perihelion 20 January 2011[4]
Next perihelion around January 2024[5]

P/2011 NO1 (Elenin) is a periodic comet with a preliminary orbital period estimated at 13 ± 0.16 years.[4] It came to perihelion (closest approach to the Sun) around 20 January 2011 at 1.2 AU from the Sun.[4] The orbit is preliminary as it has only been observed over an observation-arc of 22 days.[4] The comet was discovered on 7 July 2011[2] when the comet was 2.38 AU from the Sun and 1.4 AU from the Earth. It came to opposition 178.6° from the Sun on 22 July 2011 in the constellation Sagittarius.

The preliminary orbit shows the next perihelion passage to be around January 2024.[5] An observation arc of 30 days would allow a better refinement to the orbit of this comet.

P/2011 NO1 was the second comet discovered by Leonid Elenin. The first comet discovered by Elenin was comet C/2010 X1. Both comets were discovered with the aid of the automatic detection program CoLiTec.[6]

On 29 January 2013 the Minor Planet Center awarded Leonid Elenin a 2012 Edgar Wilson Award for the discovery of comets by amateurs.[7]

References

  1. Sostero, Giovanni; Howes, Nick; Guido, Ernesto (19 July 2011). "New Comet: P/2011 NO1". Associazione Fruilana di Astronomia e Meteorologia. Retrieved 19 July 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 "MPEC 2011-O09 : 2011 NO1". IAU Minor Planet Center. 18 July 2011. Retrieved 19 July 2011.
  3. "MPEC 2011-O10 : COMET P/2011 NO1". IAU Minor Planet Center. 19 July 2011. Retrieved 19 July 2011.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2011 NO1)" (last observation: 29 July 2011; arc: 22 days "preliminary"). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 19 July 2011.
  5. 1 2 Horizons output. "Observer Table for 2011 NO1". Retrieved 19 July 2011. (Observer Location:@sun)
  6. "CoLiTec". Automatic Detection of Asteroids and Comets CoLiTec (CLT). Retrieved 2012-10-04.
  7. "2012 Comet Awards Announced". 29 January 2013. Retrieved 2013-01-31.
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