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Abstract We report the discovery of cometary activity in the form of a pronounced tail emanating from Near-Earth Object (523822) 2012 DG61, identified in UT 2024 April 18 Dark Energy Camera images by our AI assistant TailNet. TailNet is an AI designed to filter out images unlikely to show activity for volunteers of our NASA Partner “Active Asteroids” Citizen Science campaign, from which our AI is trained. Subsequently, our archival investigation revealed 2012 DG61 is recurrently active after we found it displaying a pronounced tail in a UT 2018 April 16 Steward Observatory Bart Bok 2.3 m telescope image and UT 2018 May 14 observations by G. Borisov with the 0.3 m telescope at MARGO Observatory. Our dynamical integrations reveal that 2012 DG61, an Apollo dynamical class member, is likely in 2:1 mean-motion resonance with Jupiter. We encourage additional observations to help characterize the activity morphology of this near-Earth comet.
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Activity Discovered on Mars-Crossing Jupiter Family Comet 2018 OR by Citizen Scientists
Abstract We present the discovery of cometary activity on 2018 OR as part of ourActive Asteroidsproject, a NASA Partner Program fueled byZooniverseCitizen Scientists. Volunteers found 2018 OR with a long, diffuse tail in archival images from the Dark Energy Camera on the Blanco 4 m telescope at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile. Our team identified additional Canada–France–Hawaii–Telescope MegaCam and Zwicky Transient Facility archival data after classification by Citizen Scientists. Activity originating from 2018 OR and directed in the anti-solar and anti-velocity directions was visible in archival images between UT 2018 September 5–18. Our dynamical simulations indicate 2018 OR experiences close encounters with Jupiter over hundred-year timescales. The orbital period and dynamics suggest 2018 OR is a Jupiter Family Comet, and we recommend further observations from the community to reduce observational uncertainties and investigate activity patterns.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1950901
- PAR ID:
- 10485460
- Publisher / Repository:
- DOI PREFIX: 10.3847
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Research Notes of the AAS
- Volume:
- 8
- Issue:
- 1
- ISSN:
- 2515-5172
- Format(s):
- Medium: X Size: Article No. 18
- Size(s):
- Article No. 18
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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