P/1997 B1 (Kobayashi)
Discovery
Discovered byTakao Kobayashi
Discovery dateJanuary 30, 1997
Orbital characteristics[1]
Epoch2450520.5
(March 13, 1997)
Aphelion15.121 AU
Perihelion2.055 AU
Semi-major axis8.588 AU
Eccentricity0.761
Orbital period25.17 a
Inclination12.36°
Last perihelionMarch 2, 1997
Next perihelionMarch 25, 2022

440P/Kobayashi is a periodic comet in the Solar System, discovered by the Japanese amateur astronomer Takao Kobayashi on January 30, 1997. It was the first comet to be discovered by an amateur astronomer with the use of CCD.

On January 30 and January 31, 1997, Takao Kobayashi observed an object, P/1997 B1 (Kobayashi), which was initially thought to be a minor planet and was reported to the IAU as such by S. Nakano. Over the next few days, the object was observed to be in a cometary orbit. W. Offutt later showed it to be a comet.[2] For discovery of a comet with CCD, as well as the faintest discovery, Kobayashi ranks the first among amateur astronomers. It demonstrates that amateur astronomers still have an important role to play in the field of astronomical object discovery.[3]

The comet was recovered on January 11, 2022, by the Purple Mountain Observatory. The comet was also spotted in images by Kitt Peak-Bok from November 29, 2021, and Pan STARRS from November 2021 and January 2022. In the latter the comet exhibited a very condensed coma and a tail measuring two arcseconds in length. It acquired the provisional designation P/2021 W2.[4] Its last observation used was on February 22, 2022.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "P/1997 B1 (Kobayashi) Orbit". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 2016-02-18.
  2. ↑ "THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 1171". THE ASTRONOMER. Retrieved 2009-12-22.
  3. ↑ "Current comets". Jonathan Shanklin. Retrieved 2009-12-22.
  4. ↑ "MPEC 2022-A164 : COMET P/1997 B1 = P/2021 W2 (Kobayashi)". minorplanetcenter.net. 11 January 2022. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  • "IAUC 6553: P/1997 B1". IAU: Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams. Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
  • "IAUC 6554: P/1997 B1; 1997X". IAU: Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams. Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
  • "P/1997 B1 (Kobayashi)". JPL Small-Body Database Browser. Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
  • "P/1997 B1 (Kobayashi)". Kazuo Kinoshita. Retrieved 2016-01-17.


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