* Astronomy

Blobrana · L

RE: Comet P/2012 F5 (GIBBS)

Blobrana · L

Ephemeris

Date    TT    R. A. (2000) Decl.     Delta      r    Elong.  Phase   Mag
2015 06 01    02 35 38.4 +15 55 11   3.7310  2.8804    28.5     9.7  19.5
2015 06 02    02 37 11.5 +16 00 50   3.7247  2.8804    29.0     9.8  19.5
2015 06 03    02 38 44.6 +16 06 25   3.7183  2.8804    29.6    10.0  19.4
2015 06 04    02 40 17.6 +16 11 57   3.7118  2.8804    30.2    10.2  19.4
2015 06 05    02 41 50.5 +16 17 25   3.7051  2.8804    30.8    10.4  19.4
2015 06 06    02 43 23.4 +16 22 49   3.6983  2.8803    31.3    10.6  19.4
2015 06 07    02 44 56.1 +16 28 10   3.6914  2.8803    31.9    10.7  19.4
2015 06 08    02 46 28.7 +16 33 28   3.6844  2.8803    32.5    10.9  19.4
2015 06 09    02 48 01.2 +16 38 41   3.6773  2.8803    33.1    11.1  19.4
2015 06 10    02 49 33.6 +16 43 51   3.6701  2.8803    33.6    11.3  19.4
2015 06 11    02 51 05.9 +16 48 58   3.6627  2.8803    34.2    11.4  19.4
2015 06 12    02 52 38.1 +16 54 00   3.6552  2.8803    34.8    11.6  19.4
2015 06 13    02 54 10.1 +16 58 59   3.6477  2.8803    35.4    11.8  19.4
2015 06 14    02 55 42.0 +17 03 53   3.6400  2.8803    36.0    11.9  19.4
2015 06 15    02 57 13.8 +17 08 44   3.6322  2.8803    36.5    12.1  19.4
2015 06 16    02 58 45.4 +17 13 31   3.6242  2.8803    37.1    12.3  19.4
2015 06 17    03 00 16.9 +17 18 14   3.6162  2.8803    37.7    12.5  19.4
2015 06 18    03 01 48.2 +17 22 54   3.6081  2.8803    38.3    12.6  19.4
2015 06 19    03 03 19.3 +17 27 29   3.5998  2.8803    38.9    12.8  19.4
2015 06 20    03 04 50.3 +17 32 00   3.5914  2.8803    39.5    13.0  19.4
2015 06 21    03 06 21.1 +17 36 27   3.5830  2.8803    40.1    13.1  19.4
2015 06 22    03 07 51.7 +17 40 50   3.5744  2.8803    40.6    13.3  19.4
2015 06 23    03 09 22.1 +17 45 08   3.5657  2.8803    41.2    13.4  19.4
2015 06 24    03 10 52.3 +17 49 23   3.5569  2.8803    41.8    13.6  19.3
2015 06 25    03 12 22.4 +17 53 33   3.5480  2.8803    42.4    13.8  19.3
2015 06 26    03 13 52.2 +17 57 40   3.5390  2.8803    43.0    13.9  19.3
2015 06 27    03 15 21.8 +18 01 42   3.5300  2.8803    43.6    14.1  19.3
2015 06 28    03 16 51.2 +18 05 40   3.5208  2.8804    44.2    14.2  19.3
2015 06 29    03 18 20.3 +18 09 33   3.5115  2.8804    44.8    14.4  19.3
2015 06 30    03 19 49.3 +18 13 22   3.5021  2.8804    45.4    14.5  19.3

Blobrana · L

Comet P/2012 F5 (Gibbs) makes its closest approach to the Earth (1.944 AU) on the 31st August 2014

Blobrana · L

Comet P/2012 F5 (Gibbs) is at Opposition (1.944 AU) on the 30th August 2014

Ephemeris

Date    TT    R. A. (2000) Decl.     Delta      r     Elong.  Phase   Mag
2014 08 29    22 14 30.1 +02 56 13   1.9440  2.9371   167.0     4.4  18.1
2014 08 30    22 13 46.6 +02 50 22   1.9437  2.9367   167.1     4.4  18.1
2014 08 31    22 13 03.2 +02 44 25   1.9436  2.9364   167.1     4.4  18.1
2014 09 01    22 12 20.1 +02 38 22   1.9438  2.9360   167.0     4.4  18.1
2014 09 02    22 11 37.2 +02 32 14   1.9443  2.9357   166.7     4.5  18.1
2014 09 03    22 10 54.6 +02 26 00   1.9451  2.9353   166.4     4.6  18.1
2014 09 04    22 10 12.5 +02 19 41   1.9461  2.9350   166.0     4.8  18.1
2014 09 05    22 09 30.7 +02 13 18   1.9474  2.9346   165.5     4.9  18.1
2014 09 06    22 08 49.3 +02 06 51   1.9490  2.9343   165.0     5.1  18.1
2014 09 07    22 08 08.5 +02 00 20   1.9509  2.9339   164.3     5.3  18.1
2014 09 08    22 07 28.2 +01 53 45   1.9530  2.9336   163.7     5.5  18.1
2014 09 09    22 06 48.5 +01 47 08   1.9554  2.9332   162.9     5.8  18.1
2014 09 10    22 06 09.4 +01 40 27   1.9580  2.9329   162.2     6.0  18.1
2014 09 11    22 05 31.0 +01 33 45   1.9609  2.9325   161.3     6.3  18.1
2014 09 12    22 04 53.3 +01 27 00   1.9641  2.9322   160.5     6.6  18.1
2014 09 13    22 04 16.3 +01 20 14   1.9675  2.9318   159.6     6.9  18.1
2014 09 14    22 03 40.2 +01 13 26   1.9712  2.9315   158.7     7.2  18.1
2014 09 15    22 03 04.8 +01 06 37   1.9752  2.9312   157.8     7.4  18.1
2014 09 16    22 02 30.3 +00 59 48   1.9794  2.9308   156.9     7.7  18.2
2014 09 17    22 01 56.7 +00 52 59   1.9839  2.9305   155.9     8.0  18.2
2014 09 18    22 01 24.0 +00 46 10   1.9886  2.9302   155.0     8.3  18.2
2014 09 19    22 00 52.4 +00 39 21   1.9936  2.9298   154.0     8.7  18.2
2014 09 20    22 00 21.7 +00 32 34   1.9988  2.9295   153.0     9.0  18.2
2014 09 21    21 59 52.0 +00 25 47   2.0043  2.9291   152.0     9.3  18.2
2014 09 22    21 59 23.4 +00 19 02   2.0100  2.9288   151.0     9.6  18.2
2014 09 23    21 58 55.9 +00 12 19   2.0159  2.9285   150.0     9.9  18.2
2014 09 24    21 58 29.6 +00 05 38   2.0221  2.9281   149.0    10.2  18.2
2014 09 25    21 58 04.4 -00 01 00   2.0286  2.9278   148.0    10.5  18.2
2014 09 26    21 57 40.3 -00 07 35   2.0352  2.9275   147.0    10.8  18.2
2014 09 27    21 57 17.5 -00 14 07   2.0421  2.9271   146.0    11.1  18.2
2014 09 28    21 56 55.9 -00 20 35   2.0492  2.9268   145.0    11.3  18.2
2014 09 29    21 56 35.5 -00 27 00   2.0565  2.9265   143.9    11.6  18.2
2014 09 30    21 56 16.4 -00 33 21   2.0641  2.9262   142.9    11.9  18.2

Blobrana · L

Comet P/2012 F5 (Gibbs) makes its closest approach to the Earth (2.096 AU) on the 2nd June, 2013

Blobrana · L

Comet P/2012 F5 (Gibbs) is at Opposition (2.096 AU) on the 1st June, 2013.

Ephemeris

Date    TT    R. A. (2000) Decl.     Delta      r     Elong.  Phase   Mag
2013 06 01    16 41 31.4 -14 02 47   2.0968  3.1040   171.9     2.6  18.5
2013 06 02    16 40 42.7 -13 58 54   2.0966  3.1038   171.8     2.7  18.5
2013 06 03    16 39 54.0 -13 55 05   2.0966  3.1035   171.6     2.7  18.5
2013 06 04    16 39 05.4 -13 51 18   2.0969  3.1033   171.2     2.9  18.5
2013 06 05    16 38 16.8 -13 47 35   2.0974  3.1030   170.7     3.0  18.5
2013 06 06    16 37 28.5 -13 43 56   2.0983  3.1028   170.1     3.2  18.5
2013 06 07    16 36 40.3 -13 40 21   2.0994  3.1025   169.4     3.5  18.5
2013 06 08    16 35 52.4 -13 36 50   2.1008  3.1023   168.6     3.7  18.5
2013 06 09    16 35 04.8 -13 33 23   2.1025  3.1020   167.7     4.0  18.5
2013 06 10    16 34 17.5 -13 30 00   2.1045  3.1018   166.9     4.3  18.5
2013 06 11    16 33 30.6 -13 26 42   2.1067  3.1015   165.9     4.6  18.5
2013 06 12    16 32 44.2 -13 23 28   2.1093  3.1013   165.0     4.9  18.5
2013 06 13    16 31 58.3 -13 20 19   2.1120  3.1010   164.0     5.2  18.5
2013 06 14    16 31 13.0 -13 17 15   2.1151  3.1007   163.0     5.5  18.5
2013 06 15    16 30 28.2 -13 14 16   2.1184  3.1005   162.0     5.8  18.5
2013 06 16    16 29 44.1 -13 11 21   2.1220  3.1002   161.0     6.1  18.5
2013 06 17    16 29 00.6 -13 08 32   2.1259  3.1000   160.0     6.4  18.6
2013 06 18    16 28 17.9 -13 05 48   2.1300  3.0997   158.9     6.8  18.6
2013 06 19    16 27 35.9 -13 03 09   2.1344  3.0994   157.9     7.1  18.6
2013 06 20    16 26 54.7 -13 00 36   2.1390  3.0992   156.9     7.4  18.6
2013 06 21    16 26 14.3 -12 58 08   2.1439  3.0989   155.8     7.7  18.6
2013 06 22    16 25 34.8 -12 55 46   2.1490  3.0986   154.8     8.0  18.6
2013 06 23    16 24 56.2 -12 53 30   2.1543  3.0984   153.7     8.4  18.6
2013 06 24    16 24 18.4 -12 51 19   2.1599  3.0981   152.7     8.7  18.6
2013 06 25    16 23 41.6 -12 49 13   2.1658  3.0978   151.6     9.0  18.6
2013 06 26    16 23 05.8 -12 47 14   2.1719  3.0976   150.5     9.3  18.6
2013 06 27    16 22 31.0 -12 45 20   2.1782  3.0973   149.5     9.6  18.6
2013 06 28    16 21 57.2 -12 43 33   2.1847  3.0970   148.4     9.9  18.6
2013 06 29    16 21 24.5 -12 41 51   2.1915  3.0968   147.4    10.2  18.6
2013 06 30    16 20 52.8 -12 40 15   2.1985  3.0965   146.4    10.5  18.6

Blobrana · L

Title: A short-duration event as the cause of dust ejection from Main-Belt Comet P/2012 F5 (Gibbs)
Authors: Fernando Moreno, Javier Licandro, Antonio Cabrera-Lavers

We present observations and an interpretative model of the dust environment of Main-Belt Comet P/2010 F5 (Gibbs). The narrow dust trails observed can be interpreted unequivocally as an impulsive event that took place around 2011 July 1st with an uncertainty of ±10 days, and a duration of less than a day, possibly of the order of a few hours. The best Monte Carlo dust model fits to the observed trail brightness imply ejection velocities in the range 8-10 cm s^{-1} for particle sizes between 30 cm and 130 µm. This weak dependence of velocity on size contrasts with that expected from ice sublimation, and agrees with that found recently for (596) Scheila, a likely impacted asteroid. The particles seen in the trail are found to follow a power-law size distribution of index ~-3.7. Assuming that the slowest particles were ejected at the escape velocity of the nucleus, its size is constrained to about 200-300 m in diameter. The total ejected dust mass is \gtrsim 5 x 10^8 kg, with represents approximately 4 to 20% of the nucleus mass.

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Blobrana · L

Descubren cuándo le nació la cola a un asteroide

Los asteroides, a diferencia de los cometas, no se caracterizan por exhibir una cola, pero existen una decena de excepciones. Investigadores españoles han observado a uno de estos raros asteroides desde el Gran Telescopio Canarias y han descubierto que algo le pasó sobre el 1 de julio de 2011 para que le apareciera su 'apéndice'. Quizá una ruptura interna o la colisión con otro asteroide.
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Blobrana · L

Title: Characterisation of Active Main Belt Object P/2012 F5 (Gibbs): A Possible Impacted Asteroid
Authors: R. Stevenson, E. A. Kramer, J. M. Bauer, J. R. Masiero, A. K. Mainzer

In this work we characterise the recently discovered active main belt object P/2012 F5 (Gibbs), which was discovered with a dust trail > 7' in length in the outer main belt, 7 months prior to aphelion. We use optical imaging obtained on UT 2012 March 27 to analyse the central condensation and the long trail. We find nuclear B-band and R-band apparent magnitudes of 20.96 and 19.93 mag, respectively, which give an upper limit on the radius of the nucleus of 2.1 km. The geometric cross-section of material in the trail was ~ 4 x 10^8 m^2, corresponding to a dust mass of ~ 5 x 10^7 kg. Analysis of infrared images taken by the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer in September 2010 reveals that the object was below the detection limit, suggesting that it was less active than it was during 2012, or possibly inactive, just 6 months after it passed through perihelion. We set a 1-sigma upper limit on its radius during this time of 2.9 km. P/2012 F5 (Gibbs) is dynamically stable in the outer main belt on timescales of ~ 1 Gyr, pointing towards an asteroidal origin. We find that the morphology of the ejected dust is consistent with it being produced by a single event that occurred on UT 2011 July 7 ± 20 days, possibly as the result of a collision with a small impactor.

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Blobrana · L

Orbital elements:
    P/2012 F5 (Gibbs)
Epoch 2010 Mar. 25.0 TT = JDT 2455280.5
T 2010 Mar. 20.07741 TT                                 MPC
q   2.8726370            (2000.0)            P               Q
n   0.18942753     Peri.  175.81710     +0.84160033     -0.53047949
a   3.0026681      Node   216.80634     +0.49048805     +0.82934865
e   0.0433052      Incl.    9.75306     +0.22612021     +0.17542045
P   5.20
From 59 observations 2012 Feb. 20-Mar. 26

MPEC 2012 - F91