C/2023 RS61 (PanSTARRS)

C/2023 RS61 (PanSTARRS)
Discovery[1][2]
Discovered byPan-STARRS
Discovery siteHaleakalā Observatory
Discovery date15 September 2023
Designations
PanSTARRS 177[3]
Orbital characteristics[4][5]
Epoch9 June 2026 (JD 2461200.5)
Observation arc10.52 years
Earliest precovery date5 September 2015
Number of
observations		529
Aphelion15.793 AU
Perihelion7.993 AU
Semi-major axis11.893 AU
Eccentricity0.32793
Orbital period41.02 years
Inclination19.947°
347.04°
Argument of
periapsis		119.56°
Mean anomaly338.15°
Last perihelion~1987
Next perihelion4 December 2028
TJupiter3.123
Earth MOID7.066 AU
Jupiter MOID3.121 AU
Physical characteristics
Mean radius
4.7 km (2.9 mi)[6]
Comet total
magnitude (M1)		6.5

C/2023 RS61 (PanSTARRS) is a Chiron-type comet and centaur with a 41-year orbit around the Sun. It is one of many comets discovered by the Pan-STARRS survey.

Observational history

It was initially discovered as an asteroid-like object on 15 September 2023.[2] Precovery images from the DECam instrument as early as September 2015 were identified.[7]

References

  1. ↑ R. Weryk; E. Lilly; S. Nakano (24 April 2025). D. W. Green (ed.). "Comet C/2023 RS61" (TXT). Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams. 5539: 1. Bibcode:2025CBET.5539....1W.
  2. 1 2 K. Chambers; S. Chastel; T. de Boer; et al. (8 October 2023). "2023 RS61". Minor Planet Electronic Circulars. 2023-T108. Bibcode:2023MPEC....T..108C. doi:10.48377/MPEC/2023-T108. ISSN 1523-6714.
  3. ↑ "Periodic Comet Names and Designations". Planetary Data System: Small Body Node. NASA. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
  4. ↑ "C/2023 RS61 (PanSTARRS) – JPL Small-Body Database Lookup". ssd.jpl.nasa.gov. Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 6 July 2026.
  5. ↑ "C/2025 RS61 (PanSTARRS) Orbit". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
  6. ↑ E. Lilly; C. A. Schambeau; A. Thirouin; et al. (2025). "Observations and Characterization of the New Active Centaur 2023 RS61". Research Notes of the American Astronomical Society. 9 (3): 67–72. Bibcode:2025RNAAS...9...67L. doi:10.3847/2515-5172/adc453.
  7. ↑ F. Valdes; K. Chambers; S. Chastel; et al. (26 October 2023). "2023 RS61". Minor Planet Electronic Circulars. 2023-U271. Bibcode:2023MPEC....U..271V. doi:10.48377/MPEC/2023-U271. ISSN 1523-6714.
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