![cover image](https://wikiwandv2-19431.kxcdn.com/_next/image?url=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7e/C_2016_R2_PanSTARRS.jpg/640px-C_2016_R2_PanSTARRS.jpg&w=640&q=50)
C/2016 R2 (PanSTARRS)
Comet / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
C/2016 R2 (PanSTARRS) is a comet, discovered using the Pan-STARRS telescopes on September 7, 2016. The comet attracted attention from many astronomers as it approached its closest point to the sun in May 2018.[3] It has been observed to have a very complex tail, which has been suggested to be due to a fast rotation period of the nucleus.
![]() The comet on 16 January 2018 | |
Discovery [1] | |
---|---|
Discovered by | Pan-STARRS |
Discovery site | Haleakala Obs. |
Discovery date | 30 August 2016 |
Designations | |
C/2016 R2 | |
comet | |
Orbital characteristics [2] | |
Epoch 13 October 2018 | |
Observation arc | 774 days |
Perihelion | 2.60235 AU |
Eccentricity | 0.99646 |
359.9932° | |
Inclination | 58.222° |
80.5685° | |
33.1930° | |
Earth MOID | 1.72 AU |
Physical characteristics | |
8[2] | |
The comet orbits the Sun on a 20,000 year orbit, which takes it out about 740 AU (Sun-Earth distances).[4] It was found to differ from typical comets, and was found to be rich in Carbon monoxide (CO) with a blue coma.[4] The blue color is thought to come from the rich amounts of carbon monoxide being ionized.[5] The comet was also noted to be rich in nitrogen.[6]
The comet was observed by a submillimeter wavelength telescope in the late 2010s.[4]
The comet made its closest approach to the Sun in May 2018, and its blue, teal, and dust tail were noted as an astronomical target.[5] Blue comets are a less common type of comet.[6]