Following a sudden outburst of activity there is now a further comet within amateur telescope range. Comet LINEAR (C/2012 X1) was expected to be about 12th magnitude when close to perihelion next year, but on October 20th it burst into life, brightening by about 5.5 magnitudes to +8.5. It's now predicted to reach magnitude +6 and the edge of naked eye visibility early next year.
Discovery
Comet LINEAR was discovered on December 8, 2012 by the Lincoln Near Earth Asteroid Research (LINEAR) project. The operations nerve centre is located at White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) near Socorro, New Mexico. When discovered it was a feeble magnitude +19.4.
Location, magnitude and star chart
During the latter part of October and the start of November, LINEAR is located in the northern constellation of Coma Berenices. It then moves into Boötes on November 2nd, remaining there until December 6th. During this time the comet moves reasonably slowly against the background stars. For the remainder of October it should be easily visible with medium size telescopes of the order of 200mm (8-inches) or 150mm (6-inches). As it continues to brighten it then becomes a much easier small telescope and binocular target.
In the Northern Hemisphere, LINEAR is well placed for observation towards the east before sunrise. Unfortunately, from the Southern Hemisphere, it's not observable until February 2014. On November 17th, LINEAR passes only 1 degree north of Arcturus (α Boo - mag. -0.04), the fourth brightest star in the night sky.
The finder chart below shows the positions of comet LINEAR from October 17 to December 1, 2013. With one major outburst already, this is one comet definitely worth keeping an eye out for.
Comet LINEAR (C/2012 X1) Finder Chart from October 17 to December 1, 2013 - pdf format
C/2012 X1 (LINEAR) Data (at epoch March 11, 2013)
Name | C/2012 X1 (LINEAR) |
---|---|
Type | Comet |
Discoverer | Lincoln Near Earth Asteroid Research (LINEAR) |
Discovery date | December 8, 2012 |
Aphelion (AU) | 302.148 |
Perihelion (AU) | 1.59934 |
Semi-major axis | 151.874 |
Eccentricity | 0.98947 |
Orbital period (years) | 1871.68 |
Inclination (degrees) | 44.3653 |
Longitude of ascending node (degrees) | 113.145 |
Perihelion | February 21, 2014 |
Notes | Sudden outburst on October 20, 2013. Brightened by over 5 magnitudes |
Comet LINEAR (C/2012 X1) Data Table
Date | Right Ascension | Declination | Estimated Magnitude | Distance from Earth (AU) | Constellation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
20 Oct 2013 | 13h 02m 01s | 24d 56m 40s | 8.6 | 3.005 | Coma Berenices |
21 Oct 2013 | 13h 04m 29s | 24d 46m 56s | 8.6 | 2.992 | Coma Berenices |
22 Oct 2013 | 13h 06m 59s | 24d 37m 09s | 8.5 | 2.979 | Coma Berenices |
23 Oct 2013 | 13h 09m 29s | 24d 27m 19s | 8.5 | 2.966 | Coma Berenices |
24 Oct 2013 | 13h 11m 60s | 24d 17m 25s | 8.5 | 2.954 | Coma Berenices |
25 Oct 2013 | 13h 14m 31s | 24d 07m 27s | 8.4 | 2.941 | Coma Berenices |
26 Oct 2013 | 13h 17m 03s | 23d 57m 26s | 8.4 | 2.928 | Coma Berenices |
27 Oct 2013 | 13h 19m 36s | 23d 47m 21s | 8.4 | 2.915 | Coma Berenices |
28 Oct 2013 | 13h 22m 10s | 23d 37m 13s | 8.3 | 2.902 | Coma Berenices |
29 Oct 2013 | 13h 24m 44s | 23d 27m 01s | 8.3 | 2.889 | Coma Berenices |
30 Oct 2013 | 13h 27m 19s | 23d 16m 46s | 8.3 | 2.876 | Coma Berenices |
31 Oct 2013 | 13h 29m 55s | 23d 06m 27s | 8.2 | 2.864 | Coma Berenices |
01 Nov 2013 | 13h 32m 31s | 22d 56m 05s | 8.2 | 2.851 | Coma Berenices |
02 Nov 2013 | 13h 35m 08s | 22d 45m 40s | 8.2 | 2.838 | Coma Berenices |
03 Nov 2013 | 13h 37m 46s | 22d 35m 12s | 8.1 | 2.826 | Boötes |
04 Nov 2013 | 13h 40m 24s | 22d 24m 40s | 8.1 | 2.813 | Boötes |
05 Nov 2013 | 13h 43m 03s | 22d 14m 04s | 8.1 | 2.801 | Boötes |
06 Nov 2013 | 13h 45m 43s | 22d 03m 26s | 8.0 | 2.789 | Boötes |
07 Nov 2013 | 13h 48m 23s | 21d 52m 44s | 8.0 | 2.776 | Boötes |
08 Nov 2013 | 13h 51m 04s | 21d 41m 59s | 8.0 | 2.764 | Boötes |
09 Nov 2013 | 13h 53m 46s | 21d 31m 11s | 7.9 | 2.752 | Boötes |
10 Nov 2013 | 13h 56m 28s | 21d 20m 20s | 7.9 | 2.740 | Boötes |
11 Nov 2013 | 13h 59m 11s | 21d 09m 25s | 7.9 | 2.727 | Boötes |
12 Nov 2013 | 14h 01m 55s | 20d 58m 28s | 7.8 | 2.715 | Boötes |
13 Nov 2013 | 14h 04m 39s | 20d 47m 27s | 7.8 | 2.704 | Boötes |
14 Nov 2013 | 14h 07m 24s | 20d 36m 23s | 7.8 | 2.692 | Boötes |
15 Nov 2013 | 14h 10m 09s | 20d 25m 16s | 7.7 | 2.680 | Boötes |
16 Nov 2013 | 14h 12m 55s | 20d 14m 06s | 7.7 | 2.668 | Boötes |
17 Nov 2013 | 14h 15m 42s | 20d 02m 53s | 7.7 | 2.657 | Boötes |
18 Nov 2013 | 14h 18m 30s | 19d 51m 37s | 7.6 | 2.645 | Boötes |
19 Nov 2013 | 14h 21m 18s | 19d 40m 18s | 7.6 | 2.634 | Boötes |
20 Nov 2013 | 14h 24m 06s | 19d 28m 56s | 7.6 | 2.622 | Boötes |
21 Nov 2013 | 14h 26m 55s | 19d 17m 31s | 7.5 | 2.611 | Boötes |
22 Nov 2013 | 14h 29m 45s | 19d 06m 04s | 7.5 | 2.600 | Boötes |
23 Nov 2013 | 14h 32m 35s | 18d 54m 34s | 7.5 | 2.589 | Boötes |
24 Nov 2013 | 14h 35m 26s | 18d 43m 01s | 7.5 | 2.578 | Boötes |
25 Nov 2013 | 14h 38m 18s | 18d 31m 26s | 7.4 | 2.567 | Boötes |
26 Nov 2013 | 14h 41m 10s | 18d 19m 48s | 7.4 | 2.556 | Boötes |
27 Nov 2013 | 14h 44m 02s | 18d 08m 08s | 7.4 | 2.546 | Boötes |
28 Nov 2013 | 14h 46m 56s | 17d 56m 26s | 7.3 | 2.535 | Boötes |
29 Nov 2013 | 14h 49m 49s | 17d 44m 41s | 7.3 | 2.525 | Boötes |
30 Nov 2013 | 14h 52m 44s | 17d 32m 54s | 7.3 | 2.514 | Boötes |
01 Dec 2013 | 14h 55m 38s | 17d 21m 06s | 7.2 | 2.504 | Boötes |
02 Dec 2013 | 14h 58m 33s | 17d 09m 15s | 7.2 | 2.494 | Boötes |
03 Dec 2013 | 15h 01m 29s | 16d 57m 22s | 7.2 | 2.484 | Boötes |
04 Dec 2013 | 15h 04m 25s | 16d 45m 28s | 7.1 | 2.474 | Boötes |
05 Dec 2013 | 15h 07m 22s | 16d 33m 32s | 7.1 | 2.464 | Boötes |
06 Dec 2013 | 15h 10m 19s | 16d 21m 35s | 7.1 | 2.455 | Boötes |
07 Dec 2013 | 15h 13m 16s | 16d 09m 35s | 7.0 | 2.445 | Serpens Caput |
08 Dec 2013 | 15h 16m 14s | 15d 57m 35s | 7.0 | 2.436 | Serpens Caput |
09 Dec 2013 | 15h 19m 12s | 15d 45m 33s | 7.0 | 2.426 | Serpens Caput |
10 Dec 2013 | 15h 22m 11s | 15d 33m 30s | 6.9 | 2.417 | Serpens Caput |
11 Dec 2013 | 15h 25m 10s | 15d 21m 25s | 6.9 | 2.408 | Serpens Caput |
12 Dec 2013 | 15h 28m 09s | 15d 09m 19s | 6.9 | 2.399 | Serpens Caput |
13 Dec 2013 | 15h 31m 09s | 14d 57m 13s | 6.9 | 2.390 | Serpens Caput |
14 Dec 2013 | 15h 34m 09s | 14d 45m 05s | 6.8 | 2.382 | Serpens Caput |
15 Dec 2013 | 15h 37m 09s | 14d 32m 57s | 6.8 | 2.373 | Serpens Caput |
16 Dec 2013 | 15h 40m 10s | 14d 20m 47s | 6.8 | 2.365 | Serpens Caput |
17 Dec 2013 | 15h 43m 10s | 14d 08m 37s | 6.7 | 2.356 | Serpens Caput |
18 Dec 2013 | 15h 46m 12s | 13d 56m 27s | 6.7 | 2.348 | Serpens Caput |
19 Dec 2013 | 15h 49m 13s | 13d 44m 16s | 6.7 | 2.340 | Serpens Caput |
20 Dec 2013 | 15h 52m 15s | 13d 32m 05s | 6.7 | 2.332 | Serpens Caput |
21 Dec 2013 | 15h 55m 16s | 13d 19m 54s | 6.6 | 2.324 | Serpens Caput |
22 Dec 2013 | 15h 58m 18s | 13d 07m 42s | 6.6 | 2.316 | Serpens Caput |
23 Dec 2013 | 16h 01m 21s | 12d 55m 31s | 6.6 | 2.309 | Serpens Caput |
24 Dec 2013 | 16h 04m 23s | 12d 43m 20s | 6.5 | 2.301 | Serpens Caput |
25 Dec 2013 | 16h 07m 26s | 12d 31m 09s | 6.5 | 2.294 | Serpens Caput |
26 Dec 2013 | 16h 10m 28s | 12d 18m 58s | 6.5 | 2.287 | Serpens Caput |
27 Dec 2013 | 16h 13m 31s | 12d 06m 49s | 6.5 | 2.280 | Hercules |
28 Dec 2013 | 16h 16m 34s | 11d 54m 39s | 6.4 | 2.273 | Hercules |
29 Dec 2013 | 16h 19m 37s | 11d 42m 31s | 6.4 | 2.266 | Hercules |
30 Dec 2013 | 16h 22m 40s | 11d 30m 23s | 6.4 | 2.259 | Hercules |
31 Dec 2013 | 16h 25m 43s | 11d 18m 17s | 6.4 | 2.253 | Hercules |