260P/McNaught

260P/McNaught
Comet McNaught 4 photographed from the Zwicky Transient Facility on 3 October 2019
Discovery[1][2]
Discovered byRobert H. McNaught
Discovery siteSiding Spring Observatory
Discovery date20 May 2005
Designations
P/2005 K3, P/2012 K2
McNaught 4[3]
Orbital characteristics[4][5]
Epoch9 June 2026 (JD 2461200.5)
Observation arc21.27 years[a]
Number of
observations		7,210
Aphelion5.829 AU
Perihelion1.418 AU
Semi-major axis3.623 AU
Eccentricity0.60865
Orbital period6.897 years
Inclination15.039°
349.27°
Argument of
periapsis		18.514°
Mean anomaly351.85°
Last perihelion5 August 2026
Next perihelion19 July 2033[6]
TJupiter2.717
Earth MOID0.495 AU
Jupiter MOID0.024 AU
Physical characteristics[4]
Mean radius
1.54±0.09 km[7]
8.16±0.24 hours[8]
Comet total
magnitude (M1)		12.7
Comet nuclear
magnitude (M2)		15.4

Comet McNaught 4, also known as 260P/McNaught, is a Jupiter-family comet with a 6.9-year orbit around the Sun. It is one of several comets discovered by Australian astronomer, Robert H. McNaught. It came to perihelion in August 2026 and will next come to perihelion in July 2033.

Observational history

On 20 May 2005, Robert H. McNaught found his fourth periodic comet (P/2005 K3) from the 0.5 m (1.6 ft) telescope of the Siding Spring Observatory,[1] where he reported it has a slightly diffuse head with a narrow tail about 30 arcseconds in length.[2]

It was later rediscovered in 15–18 May 2012 from the Pierre Auger Observatory as P/2012 K2,[9] which was later confirmed to be a recovery of comet McNaught 4 a few days later.[10]

During its 2019 apparition, a small outburst had temporarily brightened the comet from magnitude 13.78 to 13.59.[11]

Physical characteristics

Photometric analysis of the comet between August 2012 and January 2013 has determined that its nucleus rotates at a single axis, completing one stable rotation once every 0.34 ± 0.01 days (8.16 ± 0.240 hours).[8]

The nucleus itself has an effective radius of 1.54 ± 0.09 km (0.957 ± 0.056 mi).[7] However, near-infrared observations from the Spitzer Space Telescope found a smaller effective radius at around 0.322±0.04 km, indicating that it may have an elongated shape.[12]

Notes

  1. ↑ Observation arc from the Minor Planet Center database covering dates from 20 May 2005 until 25 August 2026.

References

  1. 1 2 R. H. McNaught (1 June 2005). B. G. Marsden (ed.). "Comet P/2005 K3 (McNaught)". Central Bureau Electronic Telegrams. 161: 1. Bibcode:2005CBET..161....1M.
  2. 1 2 R. H. McNaught (7 June 2005). D. W. Green (ed.). "Comet P/2005 K3 (McNaught)". IAU Circular. 8535 (1). Bibcode:2005IAUC.8535....1M.
  3. ↑ "Periodic Comet Names and Designations". Planetary Data System: Small Body Node. NASA. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  4. 1 2 "260P/McNaught – JPL Small-Body Database Lookup". ssd.jpl.nasa.gov. Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  5. ↑ "260P/McNaught Orbit". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  6. ↑ "Horizons Batch for 260P/McNaught (90001232) on 2033-Jul-19" (Perihelion occurs when rdot flips from negative to positive). JPL Horizons. Retrieved 10 August 2026. (JPL#112 Soln.date: 2026-Aug-07)
  7. 1 2 M. M. Knight; R. Kokotanekova; N. H. Samarasinha (2023). "Physical and Surface Properties of Comet Nuclei from Remote Observations". arXiv:2304.09309 [astro-ph.EP].
  8. 1 2 F. Manzini; V. Oldani; R. Crippa; J. Borrero; et al. (2014). "Comet McNaught (260P/2012 K2): spin axis orientation and rotation period". Astrophysics and Space Science. 351 (2): 435–450. arXiv:1403.5703. Bibcode:2014Ap&SS.351..435M. doi:10.1007/s10509-014-1854-6.
  9. ↑ M. Masek; G. V. Williams (21 May 2012). "Comet P/2005 K3 = 2012 K2 (McNaught)". Minor Planet Electronic Circulars. 2012-K37. Minor Planet Center. Bibcode:2012MPEC....K...37M. ISSN 1523-6714.
  10. ↑ M. Masek; G. V. Williams; S. Nakano (May 2012). D. W. Green (ed.). "Comet P/2012 K2 = P/2005 K3 (McNaught)". Central Bureau Electronic Telegrams. 3113: 1. Bibcode:2012CBET.3113....1M.
  11. ↑ M. S. P. Kelley; D. Bodewits; Q. Ye (8 October 2019). "Small outburst of comet 260P/McNaught". The Astronomer's Telegram. 13174: 1. Bibcode:2019ATel13174....1K.
  12. ↑ M. L. Paradowski (2020). "A new method of determining brightness and size of cometary nuclei" (PDF). Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 492 (3): 4175–4188. Bibcode:2020MNRAS.492.4175P. doi:10.1093/mnras/stz3597.
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