C/2021 QM45 (PANSTARRS)

DEPARTED

Type: Periodic Perihelion date: 13 August 2022 Perihelion distance (q): 2.8 Aphelion distance (Q) : 710 Period (years): 6,729 Eccentricity (e): 0.99 Inclination (i): 22.8 JPL orbit diagram COBS lightcurve PanSTARRS 1 discovered a 22nd magnitude asteroid in images taken with the 1.8m Ritchey-Chretien on 17 August 2021. There were prediscovery PanSTARRS 1 observations from earlier in August. Images taken by the Palomar Mountain ZTF on 29 and 30 June 2022 showed cometary features, when analysed by automatic detection software and it was reported as a possible new comet. PanSTARRS then looked at archival images and also noted cometary features in October 2021. Observations (VEMag = visual equivalent magnitude) Date 10x10 mag Error VEmag Coma ' 18-Jan-23 19.0 0.4 18-Feb-23 19.4 0.4 12-Mar-23 19.9 0.4