Analyzing the Onset of Cometary Activity by the Jupiter-family Comet 2023 RN<sub>3</sub>

Abstract We utilize serendipitous observations from the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) and the Zwicky Transient Facility in addition to targeted follow-up observations from the Las Cumbres Observatory (LCO) and Liverpool Telescope to analyze the first observed instance of cometary activity by the newly discovered Jupiter-family comet C/2023 RN 3 (ATLAS), whose orbital dynamics place it close to residing on a Centaur-like orbit. Across our 7 month baseline, we observe an epoch of cometary activity commencing in 2023 August with an increase in brightness of &gt;5.4 mag. The lightcurve of 2023 RN 3 indicates the presence of continuous cometary activity across our observations, suggesting the onset of a new period of sustained activity. We find no evidence of any outbursts on top of the observed brightening nor do we find any significant color evolution across our observations. 2023 RN 3 is visibly extended in LCO and Liverpool Telescope observations, indicating the presence of a spatially extended coma. Numerical integration of 2023 RN 3 's orbit reveals the comet to have recently undergone a slight increase in semimajor axis due to a planetary encounter with Jupiter; however, whether this orbital change could trigger 2023 RN 3 's cometary activity is unclear. Our estimate for the maximum dust production metric of Af ρ ∼ 400 cm is consistent with previous measurements for the Jupiter-family comet and Centaur populations.

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Publication Details

Journal
The Astronomical Journal
Published
2024-11-28
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-3881/ad8a5f
Citations
1
Primary Topic
Astro and Planetary Science
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.33

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article

Analyzing the Onset of Cometary Activity by the Jupiter-family Comet 2023 RN3

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article

Analyzing the Onset of Cometary Activity by the Jupiter-family Comet 2023 RN3

Luke J. Shingles, A. Heinze, Henry H. Hsieh, Sarah Greenstreet, A. Fitzsimmons, Megan E. Schwamb, Michael S. P. Kelley, D. R. Young, Nicolas Erasmus, J Murtagh, H. Weiland, J. Tonry, Carrie E. Holt, Robert J. Siverd, Joseph Chatelain, Tim Lister, L. Denneau, Matthew M. Dobson, K. Smith, Edward Gomez
article en
1 citations

Abstract

Abstract We utilize serendipitous observations from the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) and the Zwicky Transient Facility in addition to targeted follow-up observations from the Las Cumbres Observatory (LCO) and Liverpool Telescope to analyze the first observed instance of cometary activity by the newly discovered Jupiter-family comet C/2023 RN 3 (ATLAS), whose orbital dynamics place it close to residing on a Centaur-like orbit. Across our 7 month baseline, we observe an epoch of cometary activity commencing in 2023 August with an increase in brightness of &gt;5.4 mag. The lightcurve of 2023 RN 3 indicates the presence of continuous cometary activity across our observations, suggesting the onset of a new period of sustained activity. We find no evidence of any outbursts on top of the observed brightening nor do we find any significant color evolution across our observations. 2023 RN 3 is visibly extended in LCO and Liverpool Telescope observations, indicating the presence of a spatially extended coma. Numerical integration of 2023 RN 3 's orbit reveals the comet to have recently undergone a slight increase in semimajor axis due to a planetary encounter with Jupiter; however, whether this orbital change could trigger 2023 RN 3 's cometary activity is unclear. Our estimate for the maximum dust production metric of Af ρ ∼ 400 cm is consistent with previous measurements for the Jupiter-family comet and Centaur populations.

The Astronomical JournalVol. 168(6)
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (US), Queen's University Belfast (GB), Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network (US), Planetary Science Institute (US), Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica (TW), GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research (DE), University of Washington (US), Stellenbosch University (ZA), South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (ZA), NSF NOIRLab (US), City University of Seattle (US), University of Maryland, College Park (US), Cardiff University (GB)
National Science Foundation, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, California Institute of Technology, University of Washington, Space Telescope Science Institute, Department for the Economy, European Commission, Queen's University Belfast, Weizmann Institute of Science, Queen's University, Nuclear Safety and Security Commission, Liverpool John Moores University, University System of Taiwan, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Science and Technology Facilities Council, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron, Central Laser Facility, Science and Technology Facilities Council, HORIZON EUROPE European Research Council
Openalex Percentile: Top 33%
Astro and Planetary Science
0.33
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