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Comet C/2009 UG89 (LEMMON)

Discovery: [ IAUC 9141 ]

C/2009 UG89 was discovered in October 2009 by A.D. Grauer as an apparently asteroidal object (Mt Lemmon); after mentioned on the PCCP, CCD images taken by observers in April 2010 revealed a cometary activity  C/2009 UG89 passed perihelion in December 2010 .

This unusual object was discovered during the Mt Lemmon Survey with the 1.5-m reflector It was an apparently asteroidal object with a highly elliptical orbit (e approximately 0.9) that is retrograde (i = 131 deg), currently at Delta approximately r approximately 5 AU (with q

approximately 4.3 AU in Nov. 2010), from a 3-day arc of observation. it has has a period of around 600 years with perihelion at 4.3 AU on 2010 November

In April 2010 further observations confirmed that it did have cometary characteristics and the designation was accordingly changed. Perihelion was at 3.9 AU in 2010 December. Gareth Williams notes on MPEC 2010-H68 [2010 April 28]

The orbit indicates an approach to Jupiter within 0.50 AU in 2009 September 24. Before this approach the heliocentric orbit varied between elliptical and hyperbolic. With respect to the solar-system barycenter, the original and future 1/a are +0.00016198 and -0.00143359, respectively.

. The large original value shows that the comet was previously in an elliptical orbit.