Exploring Comet C/2021 T4 Lemon: Discovery, Orbit, and Observation

2023-06-05 09:08:01

This width of space is from 20 degrees north of the ecliptic plane and longitude 235 degrees. The gridlines in the plane are one astronomical unit (AU), which is the distance between the Sun and Earth. The symbol of the ram’s horn represents the vernal equinox (March). The size of the Earth is 500 times and the Sun is exaggerated 5 times. Bars connect comet C/2021 T4 Lemmon to the ecliptic plane at the beginning of each month in 2023. Image copyright Jay Ottowell. Used with permission.

The famous British astronomer Guy Otewell This article on Comet C/2021 D4 Lemon was originally published on May 25, 2023.. Reprinted with permission. Earthsky Reviews.

Comet C/2021 T4 Lemon

Comet C/2021 T4 Lemmon was discovered in images taken on October 7, 2021. Lemon Mountain ObservatoryNortheast of Tucson, Arizona. T4 The fourth of the first half of October means discovery or recovery.

Mount Limon is the highest point in the Santa Catalina Mountains, one of the four mountain ranges surrounding Tucson. This should not be confused with Catalina, the conspirator who attempted to seize power over the Roman Republic in 63 BC. I remember guessing that the Navajo might have seen Canopus, the great star of the south, from one of the four sacred peaks around their land. In fact, it is displayed as a cover photo Astronomical calendar 2023.

When discovered, Comet C/2021 T4 appeared farther north, at an inclination of +12 degrees due to the geometry of its orbit.

Comet C/2021 T4 Lemon is a long-period comet

In fact, it is a long-lived comet. If it fell from its distant home – at 44,000 astronomical units – into the inner solar system, it would have happened millions of years ago. So at its current passing, you will feel the gravity unrest One of the planets whose duration is shortened to thousands of years only.

Its orbit is inclined about 20 degrees to the plane of the ecliptic. However, it goes in retrograde, or opposite to the direction of the planets’ rotation. As a result, it makes a very long, fast sweep across the southern sky.

A chart showing the location of Comet C/2021 T4 Lemon from July to November 2023. illustration Jay Ottowell. Used with permission.

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The comet is currently located 60°S (at declination -13°), 1.75 AU from the Sun and 2 AU from Earth in the morning sky. However, it is still at a low level about 11. Then, on June 27, 2023, the distance between us and us will shrink to 1 AU.

On July 18, 2023 we will pass it in opposition. At this time, it will be very close to us, at 0.54 AU, and bright, maybe 8 or 7 magnitude, but well below the naked eye limit. Because of its proximity, the declination on July 20 appears south at -56 degrees.

Then in the following months, it ascends north, low and far in the evening sky. At the same time, it will decrease by 2 or 3 sizes. She will arrive rock bottom1.48 AU from the Sun on July 31, 2023. Finally, it will ascend through the ecliptic on September 10, 2023, and join behind and north of the Sun on November 9, 2023.

Of course, we must remember that predictions about the comet’s brightness and the size of its tails are unreliable. This is because they depend on the melting of ice and the release of dust in these clumps of rotating objects.

Is Bob Comet Hill still observable? AHA!

by, Alan Hill Jay Ottowell alerted us to this comet in a Facebook post on May 22. Alan Hale-Bopp (C/1995 O1) was the discoverer of the large comet. And although it is now 47 AU away, it is still in first place Minor Planet Centre List of comets currently observable, not due to their current size (about 20) but is still considered visible because it is an earlier, unnumbered, unseen comet.

Bottom line: Comet C/2021 T4 Lemon was discovered in 2021 from the Mount Lemon Observatory. It now spreads across the southern sky.

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