Comets & Asteroids - Small Bodies of the Solar System (original) (raw)
Small Asteroid 2023 CX1 (NEOCP Sar2667) impacted Earth on February 13
On 2023 February 12.8 (20🔞07 UTC), K. Sarneczky found a small asteroid with the 0.60-m Schmidt + CCD of the Piszkéstető Observatory in Hungary (K88 MPC code) that was soon after put on the NEOCP list with the provisional designation Sar2667 for the follow-up by other observers. The object was subsequently imaged by many observers around the world and various impact assessment systems found a 100% impact probability in the area of the English Channel on Feb. 13 between 02 and 04 UTC. This is the second discovery by Sarneczky of an impactor, following the 2022 EB5 event in March 2022.
M.P.E.C. 2023-C103 issued subsequently on 2023 February 13 at 04:13 UT assigned the official designation 2023 CX1 to Sar2667 with the following comment:
K. Sarneczky reported a new NEOCP candidate observed at GINOP-KHK (K88). Rapid follow-up from multiple sites indicated an impact with the Earth's atmosphere on February 13 03:00 UTC near the coast of Normandy, France, as determined by imminent impact monitoring services such as JPL's Scout, ESA's Meerkat and MPC's internal warning system.
Map of the impact zone predicted to occur a few kilometers from French coast, North-East of Le Havre. Click on it for a bigger version.
2023 CX1 was a small Aten asteroid with an estimated size of ~1.0 m (based on the object's absolute magnitude H=32.6).
Below you can see the discovery images of 2023 CX1 taken at Konkoly Observatory's Piszkéstető Station with the 0.60-m Schmidt telescope. Three 4x25 sec stacked images with the object at 19.5 magnitude.
We performed follow-up measurements of this object while it was still on the NEOCP webpage and about 4 hours before the impact. Images obtained at the ALMO Observatory, in Padulle, Italy (G18 MPC code). Click on the image below for a bigger version.
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| Credit: A. Valvasori, E. Guido |
As expected, 02h 59min UT, 2023 CX1 entered the Earth atmosphere, producing a very bright fireball that was reported by dozens of witnesses and recorded on video by many thanks to favorable weather conditions over the involved densely populated area and the alert issued few hours in advance by astronomers. Below some of the best videos and photos posted on the web.
2023 CX1 became the 7th asteroid to be discovered before entering the Earth atmosphere. The first time it happened was with asteroid 2008 TC3, the second was with asteroid 2014 AA, the third was 2018 LA that impacted Earth on 02 June 2018, the fourth was with asteroid 2019 MO that impacted Earth on 22 June 2019 , the fifth was the asteroid 2022 EB5, the sixth was the asteroid 2022 WJ1 less than 3 months ago. Another space impacting object discovered prior to its to atmospheric entry was WT1190F but it is thought to have been a space debris, possibly the translunar injection module of Lunar Prospector. For more info about 2008 TC3, 2014 AA, 2018 LA, 2019 MO, 2022 EB5 and 2022 WJ1 see also:
http://remanzacco.blogspot.it/2008/10/small-asteroid-2008-tc3-to-hit-earth.html
http://remanzacco.blogspot.com/2008/10/2008-tc3-animation.html
http://remanzacco.blogspot.com/2008/10/2008-tc3-update-impact-flash-imaged.html
http://remanzacco.blogspot.com/2008/11/2008-tc3-trail-imaged-over-northern.html
http://remanzacco.blogspot.it/2009/02/2008-tc3-fragments-recovered.html
http://remanzacco.blogspot.com/2014/01/small-asteroid-2014-aa-hit-earths_2.html
https://remanzacco.blogspot.com/2018/06/small-asteroid-2018-la-impacted-earth.html
https://remanzacco.blogspot.com/2019/06/small-asteroid-neocp-a10eom1-impacted.html
https://remanzacco.blogspot.com/2022/03/small-asteroid-2022-eb5-neocp-sar2593.html
https://remanzacco.blogspot.com/2023/02/small-asteroid-2022-wj1-neocp-c8ff042.html
http://remanzacco.blogspot.com/search/label/asteroid%20impact
by Ernesto Guido
Small Asteroid 2022 WJ1 (NEOCP C8FF042) impacted Earth on November 19
On 2022 November 19.2, D. Rankin found a small asteroid using the 1.5-m reflector + 10K CCD of Mt. Lemmon Catalina Sky Survey (G96 MPC code) that was soon after put on the NEOCP list with the provisional designation C8FF042 for the follow-up by other observers. The Minor Planet Center subsequently assigned the following official designation to this object, 2022 WJ1.
Richard A. Kowalski of CSS at 06:20UT of Nov. 19 alerted on mpml mailing list "...it appears that this object (C8FF042) will impact around the Great Lakes region of the United States a few hours from the time of this message". According to Bill Gray the impact point was at 19 Nov 2022 8:26:54.47 UTC, lat +43.12309, lon W80.26416, directly over Brantford, Ontario, Canada.
Discovery images of asteroid 2022 WJ1
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| Credit: Catalina Sky Survey |
M.P.E.C. 2022-W69 issued subsequently on 2022 November 19 at 14:14 UT assigned the official designation 2022 WJ1 to C8FF042 with the following comment:
D. Rankin detected a fast moving object in images taken at Mt. Lemmon Survey (G96). The observations triggered a warning of an imminent impact. Seven observatories were able to observe the sub-meter object before it impacted the Earth's atmosphere on Nov. 19 at approximately 08:27 UTC over Brantford, Ontario, Canada.
2022 WJ1 was a small Apollo asteroid with an estimated size of 0.5 m - 1.0 m (based on the object's absolute magnitude H=33.6).
by Ernesto Guido
New Comets C/2022 J1 & C/2022 L1
CBET 5121 & MPEC 2022-J88 , issued on 2022, May 11, announce the discovery of a comet (magnitude ~18) by A. Maury and G. Attard on images obtained with a 0.28-m f/2.2 Schmidt reflector at San Pedro de Atacama, Chile, on May 5. The new comet has been designated C/2022 J1 (Maury-Attard).
Stacking of 15 luminance-filtered exposures, 60 seconds each, obtained remotely (in poor conditions, high clouds) on 2022, May 6.4 from X02 (Telescope Live, Chile) through a 0.61-m f/6.5 astrograph + CCD, shows that this object is a comet with a diffuse coma of size about 12" and magnitude of 18.3-18.9 in an aperture radius of 5".5 (Observers E. Bryssinck, M. Rocchetto, E. Guido, M. Fulle, G. Milani, G. Savini, A. Valvasori).
Our confirmation image (click on the images for a bigger version)
CBET 5121 assigns the following parabolic orbital elements to comet C/2022 J1 (Maury-Attard): T 2022 Feb. 21.59; e= 1.0; Peri. = 307.65; q = 1.63 ; Incl.= 106.45 (It is possible that the comet has a periodic orbit on the order of 120 years or so).
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CBET 5134 & MPEC 2022-L97, issued on 2022, June 13, announce that an apparently asteroidal object discovered on June 4 with the 0.68-m Schmidt reflector of the Catalina Sky Survey has been found to show cometary appearance by CCD astrometrists elsewhere after the Minor Planet Center posted it to the PCCP webpage on the basis of a comet-like orbit. The new comet has been designated C/2022 L1 (Catalina).
Stacking of 25 luminance-filtered exposures, 60 seconds each, obtained remotely on 2022, June 9.3 from X02 (Telescope Live, Chile) through a 0.61-m f/6.5 astrograph + CCD, shows that this object is a comet with a condensed coma of size 11", with magnitude 19.5 as measured in a circular aperture of radius 5".5, with no clear tail visible (Observers E. Bryssinck, M. Rocchetto, E. Guido, M. Fulle, G. Milani, G. Savini, A. Valvasori).
Our confirmation image (click on the images for a bigger version)
CBET 5134 assigns the following parabolic orbital elements to comet C/2022 L1 (Catalina): T 2022 Sept. 28.10; e= 1.0; Peri. = 59.74; q = 1.59 ; Incl.= 123.46
by Ernesto Guido
New Comet C/2022 F2 (NEOWISE)
CBET 5113 & MPEC 2022-G83, issued on 2022, April 06, announce the discovery of a comet (magnitude ~17) in infrared exposures obtained during Mar. 30-Apr. 1 UT with the Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (or NEOWISE; formerly the WISE earth-orbiting satellite). The new comet has been designated C/2022 F2 (NEOWISE).
Stacking of 60 unfiltered exposures, 30 seconds each, obtained remotely on 2022, April 3.3 from X02 (Telescope Live, Chile) through a 0.61-m f/6.5 astrograph + CCD, shows that this object is a comet with a central condensation inside a coma of diameter 19" and a hint of a broad tail 13" long in p.a. 283 degrees, with magnitude of 17.5-17.7 in an aperture of radius 5".5 (Observers E. Bryssinck, M. Rocchetto, E. Guido, M. Fulle, G. Milani, G. Savini, A. Valvasori).
Our confirmation image (click on the images for a bigger version)
CBET 5113 assigns the following parabolic orbital elements to comet C/2022 F2 (NEOWISE): T 2022 Mar. 24.47; e= 0.99; Peri. = 201.41; q = 1.59 ; Incl.= 97.47
by Ernesto Guido
New Comet C/2022 F1 (ATLAS)
CBET 5112 & MPEC 2022-G82, issued on 2022, April 06, announce the discovery of a comet (magnitude ~18.5) on CCD images taken on Mar. 30.3 UT with a 0.5-m f/2 Wright-Schmidt reflector at Rio Hurtado, Chile, in the course of the "Asteroid Terrestrial-Impact Last Alert System" (ATLAS) search program. The new comet has been designated C/2022 F1 (ATLAS).
Stacking of 20 unfiltered exposures, 90 seconds each, obtained remotely on 2022, April 2.4 from X02 (Telescope Live, Chile) through a 0.61-m f/6.5 astrograph + CCD, shows that this object is a comet with a compact coma about 9" arcsecond in diameter (Observers E. Bryssinck, M. Rocchetto, E. Guido, M. Fulle, G. Milani, G. Savini, A. Valvasori).
Our confirmation image (click on the images for a bigger version)
CBET 5112 assigns the following parabolic orbital elements to comet C/2022 F1 (ATLAS): T 2022 Sep. 4.00; e= 0.99; Peri. = 281.10; q = 5.94 ; Incl.= 57.98; adding that: "these suggest that the comet will pass 1.46 AU from Saturn in 2025 August".
by Ernesto Guido
New Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) [may reach mag. +6 in Feb. 2023]
CBET 5111 & MPEC 2022-F13, issued on 2022, March 21, announce the discovery of an apparently asteroidal object (magnitude ~17) discovered on CCD images taken on Mar. 2 UT with a 1.2-m f/2.4 Schmidt telescope at Palomar in the course of the "Zwicky Transient Facility" (ZTF) survey (MPC code I41). Subsequently, it has been found to show cometary appearance by CCD astrometrists elsewhere. The new comet has been designated C/2022 E3 (ZTF).
Stacking of 12 unfiltered exposures, 120 seconds each, obtained remotely on 2022, March 20.4 from X02 (Telescope Live, Chile) through a 0.61-m f/6.5 astrograph + CCD, shows that this object is a comet with a compact coma about 9" arcsecond in diameter (Observers E. Guido, M. Rocchetto, E. Bryssinck, G. Milani, G. Savini, A. Valvasori).
Our confirmation image (click on the images for a bigger version; made with TYCHO software by D. Parrott)
MPEC 2022-F13 assigns the following orbital elements to comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF): T 2023 Jan. 13.18; e= 0.99; Peri. = 145.77; q = 1.11 ; Incl.= 109.09
According to CBET 5111: "These preliminary elements indicate that the comet will pass 0.28 AU from the earth in early Feb. 2023, when the comet may be near total visual magnitude 6; these also suggest that the comet passed about 1.18 AU from Saturn in 2020 May and about 3.07 AU from Jupiter in 2021 April." Below you can see a graph generated using the software Orbitas and showing the predicted magnitude (in red) versus its elongation from the Sun. As always with comets, the future magnitudes reported here are only indicative.
by Ernesto Guido
New Comet C/2022 E2 (ATLAS)
CBET 5109 & MPEC 2022-E227, issued on 2022, March 15, announce the discovery of an apparently asteroidal object (magnitude ~19) discovered on CCD images taken on Mar. 7 UT with a 0.5-m f/2 Schmidt reflector at Rio Hurtado, Chile, in the course of the "Asteroid Terrestrial-Impact Last Alert System" (ATLAS) search program. Subsequently, it has been found to show cometary appearance by CCD astrometrists elsewhere after it was posted on the Minor Planet Center's PCCP webpage. The new comet has been designated C/2022 E2 (ATLAS).
Stacking of 25 unfiltered exposures, 120 seconds each, obtained remotely on 2022, March 10.3 from X02 (Telescope Live, Chile) through a 0.61-m f/6.5 astrograph + CCD, shows that this object is a comet with a compact coma about 7" arcsecond in diameter (Observers E. Guido, M. Rocchetto, E. Bryssinck, G. Milani, G. Savini, A. Valvasori).
Our confirmation image (click on the images for a bigger version; made with TYCHO software by D. Parrott)
MPEC 2022-E227 assigns the following orbital elements to comet C/2022 E2 (ATLAS): T 2024 Sep. 16.95; e= 0.99; Peri. = 41.84; q = 3.67 ; Incl.= 137.13
This comet could reach total magnitude ~13 in late 2024. Below you can see a graph generated using the software Orbitas and showing the predicted magnitude (in red) versus its elongation from the Sun. As always with comets, the future magnitudes reported here are only indicative.
by Ernesto Guido