C/2018 N2 (ASASSN)

C/2018 N2 (ASASSN)
C/2018 N2 photographed from the Zwicky Transient Facility on 11 November 2019
Discovery
Discovered byAll Sky Automated Survey for SuperNovae (ASAS-SN)
Discovery siteCerro Tololo Observatory, Chile
Discovery date7 July 2018
Designations
CK18N020
Orbital characteristics
Epoch26 February 2020 (JD 2458905.5)
Observation arc1,421 days (3.89 years)
Number of
observations		4,653
Perihelion3.125 AU
Eccentricity1.00018
Inclination77.530°
25.258°
Argument of
periapsis		24.397°
Last perihelion10 November 2019
TJupiter0.474
Earth MOID2.1943 AU
Jupiter MOID1.6361 AU
Physical characteristics
Mean radius
6.35 km (3.95 mi)
Comet total
magnitude (M1)		9.6
11.0
(2019 apparition)

C/2018 N2 (ASASSN) is the second of two comets discovered by the All Sky Automated Survey for SuperNovae after C/2017 O1. It is a non-periodic comet that reached perihelion in November 2019, and as a result, it may never return to the inner Solar System.

Discovery and observation

The comet was first spotted as a magnitude 16.4 object by the ASAS-SN survey from images taken at the Cerro Tololo Observatory's 14-cm "Cassius" telescope between 7–11 July 2018. It made its closest approach to Earth on 19 October 2019 at a distance of 205 million mi (330 million km) before reaching perihelion on 11 November 2019. Although it did not go closer than 3.12 AU from the Sun at perihelion, observations of the comet did show some significant signs of activity, including a dust tail forming around July 2019. It was last observed as a magnitude 20+ object on 28 May 2022.

References

  1. ↑ "MPEC 2018-O01: COMET C/2018 N2 (ASASSN)". Minor Planet Electronic Circular. Minor Planet Center. 16 July 2018. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 "C/2018 N2 (ASASSN) – JPL Small-Body Database Lookup". ssd.jpl.nasa.gov. Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  3. ↑ 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].
  4. ↑ "Comet C/2018 N2 (ASASSN)". Al Sadeem Astronomy. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  5. ↑ S. Yoshida. "C/2018 N2 ( ASASSN )". www.aerith.net. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  6. ↑ G. van Buitenen. "C/2018 N2 (ASASSN)". astro.vanbuitenen.nl. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  7. ↑ M. Olason (24 February 2021). "Comet C/2018 N2 (ASASSN)". Sky & Telescope. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  8. ↑ P. Chambó (12 July 2019). "Comet C/2018 N2 (ASASSN)". www.cometografia.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 November 2024.