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C/2013 R1 (Lovejoy)

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C/2013 R1 (Lovejoy)
C/2013 R1 on 28 November 2013, three-minute exposure using a 6 "refractor
Discovery
Discovered byTerry Lovejoy
(Thornlands, Qld., Australia)[1]
Discovery date7 September 2013
Orbital characteristics
Epoch14 December 2013[2]
Aphelion~830 AU (epoch 2200)[3]
Perihelion0.8118AU(q)[2]
Eccentricity0.9984[2]
Orbital period~6,900yr(epoch1800)
~8,500 yr (epoch 2200)[3]
Inclination64.04°[2]
Last perihelion22 December 2013[2]

C/2013 R1 (Lovejoy)is a long-periodcometdiscovered on 7 September 2013 byTerry Lovejoyusing a 0.2-meter (8 in)Schmidt–Cassegrain telescope.[1]It is the fourth comet discovered by Terry Lovejoy. C/2013 R1 crossed thecelestial equatoron 14 October 2013, becoming a betterNorthern Hemisphereobject.

History

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By 1 November 2013, the comet was visible to thenaked eyenear theBeehive Cluster(M44), about halfway betweenJupiterandRegulus.[4]It became more impressive thancomet ISON.[5]In binoculars, the comet has the appearance of a green, unresolvedglobular cluster.

C/2013 R1 made its closest approach to Earth on 19 November 2013 at a distance of 0.3967AU(59,350,000km;36,880,000mi),[6]and reached anapparent magnitudeof about 4.5.[7]On 27 November 2013 the comet was in the constellation ofCanes Venatici,near the bottom of the handle of theBig Dipper.From 28 November until 4 December 2013, the comet was in the constellationBoötes.On 1 December 2013 it passed the starBeta Boötis.[8]From 4 December until 12 December 2013, the comet was in the constellationCorona Borealis.

From 12 December until 14 January 2014, the comet was in the constellationHercules.On 14 December 2013, it passed the starZeta Herculis.[8]The comet came toperihelion(closest approach to the Sun) on 22 December 2013 at a distance of 0.81 AU (121,000,000 km; 75,000,000 mi) from the Sun.[2]At perihelion, the comet had anelongationof 51 degrees from the Sun. By September 2014, the comet had faded to magnitude 18.[9]

References

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  1. ^ab"MPEC 2013-R72: COMET C/2013 R1 (LOVEJOY)".IAU Minor Planet Center.9 September 2013.Retrieved10 November2013.(CK13R010)
  2. ^abcdef"MPEC 2013-V48: Observations and Orbits of Comets".IAU Minor Planet Center. 9 November 2013.Retrieved10 November2013.
  3. ^abHorizonsoutput."Barycentric Osculating Orbital Elements for Comet C/2013 R1 (Lovejoy)".Retrieved30 August2023.(Select Ephemeris Type:Elements and Center:@0)
  4. ^"C/2013 R1 (Lovejoy)".Gary W. Kronk's Cometography. Archived fromthe originalon 10 November 2013.Retrieved10 November2013.
  5. ^Tony Flanders (8 November 2013)."The Other Great Morning Comet".Sky & Telescope.Archived fromthe originalon 13 November 2013.Retrieved10 November2013.
  6. ^"JPL Close-Approach Data: C/2013 R1 (Lovejoy)".8 November 2013.Retrieved10 November2013.
  7. ^Seiichi Yoshida (9 November 2013)."C/2013 R1 ( Lovejoy )".Seiichi Yoshida's Comet Catalog.Retrieved10 November2013.
  8. ^abKing, Bob (29 November 2013)."Move over ISON, time to share the love with Comet Lovejoy".Astro Bob.Areavoices.Retrieved29 November2013.
  9. ^"MPEC 2014-R69: Observations and Orbits of Comets".IAU Minor Planet Center. 7 September 2014.Retrieved20 September2014.
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