Cometary Science Archive
Cometary Science Archive

Comet P/2012 S2 (La Sagra)

Discovery

Discovered on CCD images obtained in the course of the "La Sagra Sky Survey" with a 45-cm f/2.8 reflector located at "La Sagra" mountain in Spain on 2012 Sept. 23; the object was then described by J. Nomen (who reported the discovery on behalf of a larger group) as showing a small east-west elongation to a dense coma of size 4-6 arcsec. The discovery was announced by the International Astronomical Union's Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams on CBET 3239.

Orbit

Orbital Elements

The following orbital elements are taken from Minor Planet Electronic Circular 2012-T08.
Epoch 2012 Aug. 21.0 TT = JDT 2456160.5
T 2012 Aug. 18.9634 TT                                  
q   1.374667             (2000.0)            P               Q
n   0.1000546      Peri.  312.1748      +0.9896832      -0.0793991
a   4.595273       Node    52.7261      +0.1272155      +0.8698887
e   0.700852       Incl.    8.6195      -0.0659044      +0.4868157
P   9.85
From 102 observations 2012 Sept. 23-Oct. 1, mean residual 0".5.

      

Ephemeris

Ephemeris for the period 2012 Aug. 21 – 2013 Mar. 5 (based on above elements):
                                                                                
    P/2012 S2 (La Sagra)       from orbital elements on MPEC 2012-T08
Date    TT    R. A. (2000) Decl.     Delta      r     Elong.  Phase  Mag.
2012 08 21    03 38.10   +09 18.6    0.869    1.375    93.7    47.2  16.8
2012 08 22    03 40.90   +09 34.7    0.866    1.375    93.9    47.2  16.8
2012 08 23    03 43.68   +09 50.6    0.863    1.376    94.1    47.2  16.8
2012 08 24    03 46.44   +10 06.3    0.860    1.376    94.3    47.1  16.8
2012 08 25    03 49.17   +10 22.0    0.858    1.377    94.6    47.0  16.7
2012 08 26    03 51.88   +10 37.5    0.855    1.377    94.8    47.0  16.7
2012 08 27    03 54.57   +10 52.8    0.852    1.378    95.1    46.9  16.7
2012 08 28    03 57.22   +11 08.1    0.850    1.379    95.3    46.8  16.7
2012 08 29    03 59.86   +11 23.2    0.847    1.380    95.6    46.7  16.7
2012 08 30    04 02.46   +11 38.2    0.845    1.381    95.9    46.6  16.7
2012 08 31    04 05.04   +11 53.1    0.842    1.383    96.2    46.5  16.7
2012 09 01    04 07.58   +12 07.8    0.840    1.384    96.5    46.4  16.7
2012 09 02    04 10.10   +12 22.4    0.838    1.385    96.8    46.3  16.7
2012 09 03    04 12.59   +12 36.9    0.835    1.387    97.1    46.2  16.7
2012 09 04    04 15.05   +12 51.2    0.833    1.389    97.4    46.1  16.7
2012 09 05    04 17.47   +13 05.4    0.831    1.390    97.8    45.9  16.7
2012 09 06    04 19.87   +13 19.5    0.829    1.392    98.1    45.8  16.7
2012 09 07    04 22.23   +13 33.5    0.826    1.394    98.5    45.6  16.8
2012 09 08    04 24.55   +13 47.4    0.824    1.396    98.8    45.5  16.8
2012 09 09    04 26.85   +14 01.1    0.822    1.399    99.2    45.3  16.8
2012 09 10    04 29.10   +14 14.7    0.820    1.401    99.6    45.1  16.8
2012 09 11    04 31.32   +14 28.3    0.818    1.403   100.0    44.9  16.8
2012 09 12    04 33.51   +14 41.7    0.816    1.406   100.4    44.8  16.8
2012 09 13    04 35.66   +14 55.0    0.814    1.408   100.9    44.6  16.8
2012 09 14    04 37.76   +15 08.2    0.812    1.411   101.3    44.4  16.8
2012 09 15    04 39.83   +15 21.3    0.810    1.414   101.7    44.1  16.8
2012 09 16    04 41.86   +15 34.3    0.808    1.417   102.2    43.9  16.8
2012 09 17    04 43.85   +15 47.2    0.806    1.420   102.7    43.7  16.8
2012 09 18    04 45.80   +16 00.0    0.804    1.423   103.1    43.4  16.8
2012 09 19    04 47.70   +16 12.8    0.803    1.426   103.6    43.2  16.8
2012 09 20    04 49.56   +16 25.4    0.801    1.429   104.1    42.9  16.8
2012 09 21    04 51.38   +16 38.0    0.799    1.433   104.7    42.7  16.9
2012 09 22    04 53.16   +16 50.5    0.797    1.436   105.2    42.4  16.9
2012 09 23    04 54.89   +17 02.9    0.796    1.440   105.7    42.1  16.9
2012 09 24    04 56.58   +17 15.3    0.794    1.443   106.3    41.8  16.9
2012 09 25    04 58.22   +17 27.6    0.792    1.447   106.9    41.5  16.9
2012 09 26    04 59.81   +17 39.8    0.790    1.451   107.4    41.2  16.9
2012 09 27    05 01.36   +17 52.0    0.789    1.455   108.0    40.9  16.9
2012 09 28    05 02.86   +18 04.1    0.787    1.459   108.6    40.6  16.9
2012 09 29    05 04.32   +18 16.2    0.786    1.463   109.3    40.3  17.0
2012 09 30    05 05.72   +18 28.2    0.784    1.467   109.9    39.9  17.0
2012 10 01    05 07.08   +18 40.2    0.783    1.471   110.5    39.6  17.0
2012 10 02    05 08.39   +18 52.1    0.781    1.475   111.2    39.2  17.0
2012 10 03    05 09.64   +19 04.0    0.780    1.480   111.9    38.9  17.0
2012 10 04    05 10.85   +19 15.9    0.778    1.484   112.6    38.5  17.0
2012 10 05    05 12.00   +19 27.7    0.777    1.489   113.3    38.1  17.0
2012 10 06    05 13.10   +19 39.5    0.775    1.494   114.0    37.7  17.1
2012 10 07    05 14.15   +19 51.3    0.774    1.498   114.7    37.3  17.1
2012 10 08    05 15.14   +20 03.0    0.773    1.503   115.4    36.9  17.1
2012 10 09    05 16.08   +20 14.7    0.772    1.508   116.2    36.5  17.1
2012 10 10    05 16.97   +20 26.4    0.770    1.513   117.0    36.0  17.1
2012 10 11    05 17.80   +20 38.1    0.769    1.518   117.8    35.6  17.1
2012 10 12    05 18.57   +20 49.7    0.768    1.523   118.5    35.1  17.2
2012 10 13    05 19.29   +21 01.4    0.767    1.528   119.4    34.7  17.2
2012 10 14    05 19.95   +21 12.9    0.766    1.533   120.2    34.2  17.2
2012 10 15    05 20.56   +21 24.5    0.765    1.538   121.0    33.7  17.2
2012 10 16    05 21.10   +21 36.1    0.764    1.544   121.9    33.3  17.2
2012 10 17    05 21.59   +21 47.6    0.764    1.549   122.7    32.8  17.3
2012 10 18    05 22.02   +21 59.1    0.763    1.554   123.6    32.3  17.3
2012 10 19    05 22.40   +22 10.6    0.762    1.560   124.5    31.7  17.3
2012 10 20    05 22.72   +22 22.1    0.762    1.566   125.4    31.2  17.3
2012 10 21    05 22.98   +22 33.5    0.761    1.571   126.4    30.7  17.4
2012 10 22    05 23.18   +22 44.9    0.761    1.577   127.3    30.1  17.4
2012 10 23    05 23.32   +22 56.2    0.760    1.583   128.3    29.6  17.4
2012 10 24    05 23.41   +23 07.5    0.760    1.588   129.2    29.0  17.4
2012 10 25    05 23.44   +23 18.8    0.760    1.594   130.2    28.5  17.4
2012 10 26    05 23.42   +23 30.0    0.760    1.600   131.2    27.9  17.5
2012 10 27    05 23.34   +23 41.2    0.760    1.606   132.2    27.3  17.5
2012 10 28    05 23.20   +23 52.3    0.760    1.612   133.2    26.7  17.5
2012 10 29    05 23.01   +24 03.3    0.761    1.618   134.2    26.1  17.5
2012 10 30    05 22.77   +24 14.3    0.761    1.624   135.3    25.5  17.6
2012 10 31    05 22.47   +24 25.2    0.761    1.631   136.3    24.9  17.6
2012 11 01    05 22.11   +24 36.0    0.762    1.637   137.4    24.2  17.6
2012 11 02    05 21.71   +24 46.7    0.763    1.643   138.5    23.6  17.6
2012 11 03    05 21.26   +24 57.3    0.764    1.649   139.5    23.0  17.7
2012 11 04    05 20.75   +25 07.9    0.765    1.656   140.6    22.3  17.7
2012 11 05    05 20.19   +25 18.3    0.766    1.662   141.7    21.7  17.7
2012 11 06    05 19.59   +25 28.6    0.767    1.669   142.9    21.0  17.8
2012 11 07    05 18.94   +25 38.7    0.769    1.675   144.0    20.4  17.8
2012 11 08    05 18.24   +25 48.8    0.770    1.682   145.1    19.7  17.8
2012 11 09    05 17.50   +25 58.6    0.772    1.688   146.3    19.0  17.8
2012 11 10    05 16.72   +26 08.4    0.774    1.695   147.4    18.3  17.9
2012 11 11    05 15.90   +26 18.0    0.776    1.701   148.6    17.7  17.9
2012 11 12    05 15.03   +26 27.4    0.779    1.708   149.7    17.0  17.9
2012 11 13    05 14.13   +26 36.6    0.781    1.715   150.9    16.3  18.0
2012 11 14    05 13.20   +26 45.7    0.784    1.722   152.1    15.6  18.0
2012 11 15    05 12.23   +26 54.5    0.787    1.728   153.2    14.9  18.0
2012 11 16    05 11.23   +27 03.2    0.790    1.735   154.4    14.2  18.1
2012 11 17    05 10.20   +27 11.6    0.793    1.742   155.6    13.6  18.1
2012 11 18    05 09.15   +27 19.9    0.797    1.749   156.8    12.9  18.1
2012 11 19    05 08.08   +27 27.9    0.800    1.756   158.0    12.2  18.2
2012 11 20    05 06.98   +27 35.7    0.804    1.763   159.1    11.5  18.2
2012 11 21    05 05.86   +27 43.3    0.808    1.770   160.3    10.8  18.3
2012 11 22    05 04.73   +27 50.7    0.812    1.777   161.5    10.2  18.3
2012 11 23    05 03.59   +27 57.8    0.817    1.784   162.6     9.5  18.3
2012 11 24    05 02.43   +28 04.7    0.822    1.791   163.8     8.8  18.4
2012 11 25    05 01.27   +28 11.4    0.827    1.798   164.9     8.2  18.4
2012 11 26    05 00.10   +28 17.8    0.832    1.805   166.0     7.6  18.4
2012 11 27    04 58.92   +28 24.0    0.837    1.812   167.1     7.0  18.5
2012 11 28    04 57.75   +28 29.9    0.843    1.820   168.2     6.4  18.5
2012 11 29    04 56.57   +28 35.6    0.849    1.827   169.2     5.8  18.6
2012 11 30    04 55.40   +28 41.1    0.855    1.834   170.2     5.3  18.6
2012 12 01    04 54.23   +28 46.3    0.861    1.841   171.0     4.8  18.7
2012 12 02    04 53.07   +28 51.3    0.867    1.849   171.8     4.4  18.7
2012 12 03    04 51.92   +28 56.0    0.874    1.856   172.5     4.0  18.7
2012 12 04    04 50.78   +29 00.6    0.881    1.863   173.0     3.7  18.8
2012 12 05    04 49.65   +29 04.9    0.888    1.871   173.2     3.6  18.8
2012 12 06    04 48.54   +29 09.0    0.896    1.878   173.3     3.5  18.9
2012 12 07    04 47.45   +29 12.8    0.904    1.885   173.2     3.6  18.9
2012 12 08    04 46.38   +29 16.5    0.911    1.893   172.8     3.7  19.0
2012 12 09    04 45.33   +29 19.9    0.920    1.900   172.2     4.0  19.0
2012 12 10    04 44.30   +29 23.2    0.928    1.908   171.6     4.3  19.0
2012 12 11    04 43.29   +29 26.2    0.937    1.915   170.8     4.7  19.1
2012 12 12    04 42.31   +29 29.1    0.946    1.923   169.9     5.2  19.1
2012 12 13    04 41.36   +29 31.7    0.955    1.930   168.9     5.6  19.2
2012 12 14    04 40.44   +29 34.3    0.964    1.938   168.0     6.1  19.2
2012 12 15    04 39.55   +29 36.6    0.974    1.945   167.0     6.6  19.3
2012 12 16    04 38.69   +29 38.8    0.983    1.953   165.9     7.0  19.3
2012 12 17    04 37.86   +29 40.8    0.993    1.960   164.9     7.5  19.4
2012 12 18    04 37.07   +29 42.7    1.004    1.968   163.8     8.0  19.4
2012 12 19    04 36.31   +29 44.4    1.014    1.976   162.7     8.5  19.5
2012 12 20    04 35.59   +29 46.0    1.025    1.983   161.7     9.0  19.5
2012 12 21    04 34.90   +29 47.5    1.036    1.991   160.6     9.5  19.6
2012 12 22    04 34.25   +29 48.9    1.047    1.998   159.5     9.9  19.6
2012 12 23    04 33.64   +29 50.1    1.058    2.006   158.4    10.4  19.7
2012 12 24    04 33.06   +29 51.3    1.070    2.014   157.4    10.8  19.7
2012 12 25    04 32.52   +29 52.4    1.082    2.021   156.3    11.3  19.8
2012 12 26    04 32.02   +29 53.3    1.094    2.029   155.2    11.7  19.8
2012 12 27    04 31.55   +29 54.2    1.106    2.037   154.1    12.2  19.9
2012 12 28    04 31.13   +29 55.1    1.119    2.045   153.1    12.6  19.9
2012 12 29    04 30.74   +29 55.8    1.131    2.052   152.0    13.0  20.0
2012 12 30    04 30.39   +29 56.5    1.144    2.060   151.0    13.4  20.0
2012 12 31    04 30.07   +29 57.1    1.157    2.068   149.9    13.8  20.0
2013 01 01    04 29.80   +29 57.7    1.170    2.075   148.9    14.2  20.1
2013 01 02    04 29.56   +29 58.2    1.184    2.083   147.9    14.5  20.1
2013 01 03    04 29.36   +29 58.7    1.198    2.091   146.8    14.9  20.2
2013 01 04    04 29.19   +29 59.2    1.211    2.099   145.8    15.3  20.2
2013 01 05    04 29.07   +29 59.6    1.225    2.107   144.8    15.6  20.3
2013 01 06    04 28.97   +30 00.0    1.240    2.114   143.8    16.0  20.3
2013 01 07    04 28.92   +30 00.3    1.254    2.122   142.8    16.3  20.4
2013 01 08    04 28.90   +30 00.6    1.269    2.130   141.8    16.6  20.4
2013 01 09    04 28.91   +30 00.9    1.283    2.138   140.8    16.9  20.5
2013 01 10    04 28.97   +30 01.2    1.298    2.146   139.8    17.2  20.5
2013 01 11    04 29.05   +30 01.5    1.313    2.153   138.8    17.5  20.6
2013 01 12    04 29.17   +30 01.8    1.329    2.161   137.9    17.8  20.6
2013 01 13    04 29.33   +30 02.0    1.344    2.169   136.9    18.0  20.7
2013 01 14    04 29.52   +30 02.3    1.360    2.177   135.9    18.3  20.7
2013 01 15    04 29.74   +30 02.5    1.376    2.185   135.0    18.6  20.8
2013 01 16    04 29.99   +30 02.8    1.392    2.193   134.0    18.8  20.8
2013 01 17    04 30.28   +30 03.0    1.408    2.200   133.1    19.0  20.9
2013 01 18    04 30.60   +30 03.3    1.424    2.208   132.2    19.3  20.9
2013 01 19    04 30.94   +30 03.5    1.440    2.216   131.3    19.5  21.0
2013 01 20    04 31.32   +30 03.8    1.457    2.224   130.3    19.7  21.0
2013 01 21    04 31.73   +30 04.0    1.473    2.232   129.4    19.9  21.1
2013 01 22    04 32.17   +30 04.3    1.490    2.240   128.5    20.1  21.1
2013 01 23    04 32.64   +30 04.6    1.507    2.248   127.6    20.3  21.2
2013 01 24    04 33.13   +30 04.9    1.524    2.256   126.7    20.5  21.2
2013 01 25    04 33.66   +30 05.2    1.542    2.263   125.8    20.6  21.3
2013 01 26    04 34.21   +30 05.5    1.559    2.271   125.0    20.8  21.3
2013 01 27    04 34.78   +30 05.8    1.576    2.279   124.1    21.0  21.4
2013 01 28    04 35.38   +30 06.1    1.594    2.287   123.2    21.1  21.4
2013 01 29    04 36.01   +30 06.4    1.612    2.295   122.3    21.3  21.4
2013 01 30    04 36.66   +30 06.8    1.630    2.303   121.5    21.4  21.5
2013 01 31    04 37.34   +30 07.1    1.648    2.311   120.6    21.5  21.5
2013 02 01    04 38.04   +30 07.5    1.666    2.319   119.8    21.6  21.6
2013 02 02    04 38.76   +30 07.8    1.684    2.326   118.9    21.8  21.6
2013 02 03    04 39.50   +30 08.2    1.702    2.334   118.1    21.9  21.7
2013 02 04    04 40.27   +30 08.6    1.721    2.342   117.3    22.0  21.7
2013 02 05    04 41.06   +30 09.0    1.739    2.350   116.4    22.1  21.8
2013 02 06    04 41.87   +30 09.4    1.758    2.358   115.6    22.2  21.8
2013 02 07    04 42.70   +30 09.8    1.777    2.366   114.8    22.2  21.9
2013 02 08    04 43.55   +30 10.2    1.795    2.374   114.0    22.3  21.9
2013 02 09    04 44.42   +30 10.6    1.814    2.382   113.1    22.4  21.9
2013 02 10    04 45.32   +30 11.0    1.833    2.390   112.3    22.5  22.0
2013 02 11    04 46.23   +30 11.4    1.852    2.397   111.5    22.5  22.0
2013 02 12    04 47.16   +30 11.8    1.872    2.405   110.7    22.6  22.1
2013 02 13    04 48.11   +30 12.3    1.891    2.413   109.9    22.6  22.1
2013 02 14    04 49.07   +30 12.7    1.910    2.421   109.1    22.7  22.2
2013 02 15    04 50.06   +30 13.1    1.930    2.429   108.4    22.7  22.2
2013 02 16    04 51.06   +30 13.5    1.949    2.437   107.6    22.7  22.3
2013 02 17    04 52.07   +30 13.9    1.969    2.445   106.8    22.8  22.3
2013 02 18    04 53.11   +30 14.4    1.988    2.453   106.0    22.8  22.3
2013 02 19    04 54.16   +30 14.8    2.008    2.460   105.2    22.8  22.4
2013 02 20    04 55.22   +30 15.2    2.028    2.468   104.5    22.8  22.4
2013 02 21    04 56.30   +30 15.6    2.048    2.476   103.7    22.8  22.5
2013 02 22    04 57.40   +30 16.0    2.068    2.484   102.9    22.8  22.5
2013 02 23    04 58.50   +30 16.4    2.088    2.492   102.2    22.8  22.5
2013 02 24    04 59.63   +30 16.8    2.108    2.500   101.4    22.8  22.6
2013 02 25    05 00.76   +30 17.2    2.128    2.508   100.7    22.8  22.6
2013 02 26    05 01.91   +30 17.6    2.148    2.515    99.9    22.8  22.7
2013 02 27    05 03.07   +30 17.9    2.168    2.523    99.2    22.8  22.7
2013 02 28    05 04.24   +30 18.3    2.188    2.531    98.4    22.8  22.8
2013 03 01    05 05.43   +30 18.6    2.209    2.539    97.7    22.8  22.8
2013 03 02    05 06.63   +30 19.0    2.229    2.547    97.0    22.7  22.8
2013 03 03    05 07.84   +30 19.3    2.249    2.555    96.2    22.7  22.9
2013 03 04    05 09.06   +30 19.6    2.270    2.562    95.5    22.7  22.9
2013 03 05    05 10.29   +30 19.9    2.290    2.570    94.8    22.6  22.9

H = 15.0, 2.5n = 15  

      


Observations

Astrometry

Astrometric observations of this comet from the Minor Planet Center archive are available here.

Links