C/2013 L2 Catalina

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C/2013 L2 Catalina

General description

Comet C/2013 L2 was discovered more than one year after perihelion passage and next observed 121 days (0.33 yr) in a range of heliocentric distances from 5.71 au to 6.22 au.

Comet had its closest approach to Earth on 2 July 2012 (3.888 au), less than two months after perihelion.

Figure caption: Time distribution of positional observations with corresponding heliocentric (red curve) and geocentric (green curve) distance at which they were taken. The horizontal dotted line shows the perihelion distance for a given comet whereas vertical dotted line — the moment of perihelion passage.

SSDP Cometary Note C2013L2A5-001

Comet C/2013 L2 Catalina

number of observations	242
number of residuals	471
data interval	2013 June 2 — 2013 Oct. 1
rms [arcsec]	0.32
orbit quality class

Osculating orbital elements (heliocentric; ecliptic J2000.0)

Epoch (TT)	20130418.0	= JD 2456400.5
time of perihelion passage (TT)	20120511.259254	± 0.006977
perihelion distance	4.87255449	± 0.00008139
eccentricity	1.00093442	± 0.00009181
argument of perihelion [deg]	1.949569	± 0.001554
longitude of the ascending node [deg]	285.875499	± 0.000539
inclination [deg]	106.774487	± 0.000434
inverse semimajor axis [10^-6 au^-1]	-191.77	± 18.85

Note: Epoch is given in a format: yyyymmdd.d, time of perihelion passage in a format of yyyymmdd.dddddd.

Figure caption: Six 2D-projections of the 6D space of original swarm (5001 VCs) of C/2013 L2. Each density map is given in logarithmic scale presented on the right in the individual panel.
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Original orbital elements (barycentric; at 250 au from the Sun)

Epoch (TT)	17060607
time of perihelion passage (TT)	20120510.939682	± 0.006943
perihelion distance	4.87338707	± 0.00008038
eccentricity	0.99955681	± 0.00009237
argument of perihelion [deg]	1.935539	± 0.001533
longitude of the ascending node [deg]	285.835153	± 0.000544
inclination [deg]	106.735662	± 0.000440
inverse semimajor axis [10^-6 au^-1]	90.94	± 18.95

Note: Values of uncertainties of original/future orbital elements were derived using a swarm of 5001 osculating orbits of VCs (including the nominal osculating orbit given above) for original/future orbital evolution calclulations and then by fitting the distribution of a given orbital element of original/future swarm of VCs to Gaussian distribution.

Original barycentric positions and velocities of 5001 VCs at 250 au from the Sun are given here (data format), i.e. before entering the planetary zone.

Figure caption: Six 2D-projections of the 6D space of future swarm (5001 VCs) of C/2013 L2. Each density map is given in logarithmic scale presented on the right in the individual panel.
The same figure in the new window

Future orbital elements (barycentric; at 250 au from the Sun)

Epoch (TT)	23191211
time of perihelion passage (TT)	20120510.901490	± 0.007166
perihelion distance	4.87384876	± 0.00008052
eccentricity	0.99891263	± 0.00009238
argument of perihelion [deg]	1.887013	± 0.001532
longitude of the ascending node [deg]	285.849760	± 0.000544
inclination [deg]	106.751745	± 0.000439
inverse semimajor axis [10^-6 au^-1]	223.10	± 18.95