C/2014 Q3 (Borisov)

C/2014 Q3 (Borisov)
Comet Borisov photographed by NEOWISE on 27 November 2014
Discovery[1]
Discovered byGennadiy Borisov
Discovery siteMARGO, Ukraine (L51)
Discovery date22 August 2014
Orbital characteristics[3][4]
Epoch19 October 2014 (JD 2456949.5)
Observation arc189 days
Number of
observations
766
Aphelion55.222 AU
Perihelion1.647 AU
Semi-major axis28.434 AU
Eccentricity0.94196
Orbital period148 years (inbound)
146 years (outbound)
Inclination89.949°
63.129°
Argument of
periapsis
47.381°
Mean anomaly359.79°
Last perihelion19 November 2014[2]
Next perihelion~2160
TJupiter0.184
Earth MOID0.866 AU
Jupiter MOID1.354 AU
Comet total
magnitude
(M1)
8.8
Comet nuclear
magnitude (M2)
15.2

C/2014 Q3 (Borisov) is a periodic comet discovered at apparent magnitude 17 on 22 August 2014 by amateur astronomer Gennadiy Borisov using a 0.3 m (12 in) astrograph.[1] It is the third comet discovered by Borisov. The comet was best viewed from the northern hemisphere.

The comet was expected to reach about magnitude ~11 near perihelion (closest approach to the Sun), but brightened to around magnitude 10.[5] By 8 November 2014, the comet had a declination of +83 and was circumpolar from the northern hemisphere.[6] The comet came to perihelion on 19 November 2014 at a distance of 1.65 AU (247 million km) from the Sun.[2]

Orbit

Before entering the planetary region (epoch 1950), C/2014 Q3 had an orbital period of 148 years.[3] After leaving the planetary region (epoch 2050), it has an orbital period of 146 years.[3]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "MPEC 2014-Q38 : COMET C/2014 Q3 (BORISOV)". IAU Minor Planet Center. 19 August 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2014. (CK14Q030)
  2. ^ a b "MPEC 2014-U124 : Observations and Orbits of Comets". IAU Minor Planet Center. 29 October 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
  3. ^ a b c Horizons output. "Heliocentric Osculating Orbital Elements for Comet C/2014 Q3 (Borisov)". Retrieved 3 November 2014. (Solution using heliocentric values)
  4. ^ "C/2014 Q3 (Borisov) – JPL Small-Body Database Lookup". ssd.jpl.nasa.gov. Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
  5. ^ Seiichi Yoshida (2 November 2014). "C/2014 Q3 ( Borisov )". Seiichi Yoshida's Comet Catalog. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  6. ^ "Elements and Ephemeris for C/2014 Q3 (Borisov)". Minor Planet Center. Archived from the original on 3 November 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2014. (CK14Q030)