C/2014 Q3 (Borisov)

C/2014 Q3 (Borisov)
Comet Borisov photographed by NEOWISE on 27 November 2014
Discovery
Discovered byGennadiy Borisov
Discovery siteMARGO, Ukraine (L51)
Discovery date22 August 2014
Orbital characteristics
Epoch19 October 2014 (JD 2456949.5)
Observation arc189 days
Number of
observations		766
Aphelion55.222 AU
Perihelion1.647 AU
Semi-major axis28.434 AU
Eccentricity0.94196
Orbital period148 years (inbound)
146 years (outbound)
Inclination89.949°
63.129°
Argument of
periapsis		47.381°
Mean anomaly359.79°
Last perihelion19 November 2014
Next perihelion~2160
TJupiter0.184
Earth MOID0.866 AU
Jupiter MOID1.354 AU
Physical characteristics
Mean radius
0.955 km (0.593 mi)
Comet total
magnitude (M1)		8.8
Comet nuclear
magnitude (M2)		15.2

C/2014 Q3 (Borisov) is a Halley-type comet discovered at apparent magnitude 17 on 22 August 2014 by amateur astronomer Gennadiy Borisov using a 0.3 m (12 in) astrograph. It is the third comet discovered by Borisov. The comet was best viewed from the northern hemisphere.

The comet was expected to reach about magnitude ~11 near perihelion (closest approach to the Sun), but brightened to around magnitude 10. By 8 November 2014, the comet had a declination of +83 and was circumpolar from the northern hemisphere. The comet came to perihelion on 19 November 2014 at a distance of 1.65 AU (247 million km) from the Sun.

Orbit

Before entering the planetary region (epoch 1950), C/2014 Q3 had an orbital period of 148 years. After leaving the planetary region (epoch 2050), it has an orbital period of 146 years.

References

  1. 1 2 "MPEC 2014-Q38 : COMET C/2014 Q3 (BORISOV)". IAU Minor Planet Center. 19 August 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2014. (CK14Q030)
  2. 1 2 3 Horizons output. "Heliocentric Osculating Orbital Elements for Comet C/2014 Q3 (Borisov)". Retrieved 3 November 2014. (Solution using heliocentric values)
  3. 1 2 "C/2014 Q3 (Borisov) – JPL Small-Body Database Lookup". ssd.jpl.nasa.gov. Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
  4. 1 2 "MPEC 2014-U124 : Observations and Orbits of Comets". IAU Minor Planet Center. 29 October 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
  5. ↑ Y. G. Kwon; D. W. Dahlen; J. R. Masiero; et al. (2026). "COSINE (Cometary Object Study Investigating their Nature and Evolution) II: Colors and Sizes of Comet Nuclei". arXiv:2609.32110 [astro-ph.EP].
  6. ↑ Seiichi Yoshida (2 November 2014). "C/2014 Q3 ( Borisov )". Seiichi Yoshida's Comet Catalog. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  7. ↑ "Elements and Ephemeris for C/2014 Q3 (Borisov)". Minor Planet Center. Archived from the original on 3 November 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2014. (CK14Q030)