C/2021 G2 (ATLAS)

Type: Periodic Perihelion date: 9 September 2024 Perihelion distance (q): 5.0 Aphelion distance (Q) : 47,220 Period (years): 3,628,323 Eccentricity (e): 1.00 Inclination (i): 48.5 JPL orbit diagram COBS lightcurve A 19th magnitude object was discovered by the ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System) team in images taken with the 0.5m Schmidt at Mauna Loa on 11 April 2021. No cometary activity was detected at the time. CBET 4988 [24 June 2021] suggested that cometary activity had been detected and the object is probably a comet. Professional observers reported a coma on 29 September and it was then redesignated as a comet. The comet's orbit shows non- gravitational influences. Observations (VEMag = visual equivalent magnitude) Date 10x10 mag Error VEmag Coma ' 02-May-24 13.8 1.1 10-May-24 14.0 0.9 25-May-24 14.1 0.9 07-Jun-24 14.1 0.9