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P/2020 MK₄ (PanSTARRS) is a Chiron-type comet or active centaur orbiting in the outer Solar System between Jupiter and Saturn. It was discovered on 24 June 2020, by the Pan-STARRS survey at Haleakala Observatory in Hawaii, United States.

Size

A lower limit for the absolute magnitude of the nucleus is H_g = 11.30±0.03 that, for an albedo in the range 0.1—0.04, gives an upper limit for its size in the interval 23–37 km.

Colors

The comet's color indices, (g′–r′) = 0.42±0.04 and (r′–i′) = 0.17±0.04, indicates the comet's nucleus has a neutral or gray color.

Activity

P/2020 MK₄ was discovered in outburst state and by late 2020, it had returned to its regular brightness. It was recovered by the Lowell Discovery Telescope at an extremely faint apparent magnitude of 24.5 in September 2022. It was officially recognized as a comet by the Minor Planet Center on 20 November 2022, in which it was given the periodic comet designation P/2020 MK₄.

Orbital evolution

Centaurs have short dynamical lives due to strong interactions with the giant planets. P/2020 MK₄ follows a very chaotic orbital evolution that may lead it to be ejected from the Solar System during the next 200,000 yr. Extensive numerical simulations indicate that P/2020 MK₄ may have experienced relatively close flybys with comet 29P/Schwassmann–Wachmann, in some cases with one of both objects were transient Jovian satellites; during these events, P/2020 MK₄ may have crossed the coma of comet 29P when in outburst.

See also

• List of centaurs (small Solar System bodies) § 2020 MK4

References

1. ^ "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 2020 MK4" (2020-06-06 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
2. "Orbit Fit and Astrometric record for 20MK4". Southwest Research Institute. Retrieved 11 August 2021.The Deep Ecliptic Survey Object Classifications
3. ^ de la Fuente Marcos, C.; de la Fuente Marcos, R.; Licandro, J.; Serra-Ricart, M.; Martino, S.; de Leon, J.; Chaudry, F.; Alarcón, M. R. (13 May 2021). "The active centaur 2020 MK4". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 649 (1): A85 (15 pages). arXiv:2104.01668. Bibcode:2021A&A...649A..85D. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202039117. S2CID 233024896.
4. "MPEC 2020-N36: 2020 MK4". Minor Planet Electronic Circular. Minor Planet Center. 11 July 2020. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
5. "2020 MK4 belatedly confirmed outburst". Minor Planet Mailing List. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
6. "MPEC 2022-W16: 2020 MK4". Minor Planet Electronic Circular. Minor Planet Center. 16 November 2022. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
7. "MPEC 2022-W78 : COMET P/2020 MK4 (PANSTARRS)". Minor Planet Electronic Circular. Minor Planet Center. 20 November 2022. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
8. Green, Daniel W. E. (20 November 2022). "COMET P/2020 MK_4 (PANSTARRS)". Central Bureau Electronic Telegrams. Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
9. Horner, J.; Evans, N.W.; Bailey, M. E. (2004). "Simulations of the Population of Centaurs I: The Bulk Statistics". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 354 (3): 798. arXiv:astro-ph/0407400. Bibcode:2004MNRAS.354..798H. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2004.08240.x. S2CID 16002759.

External links

• P/2020 MK4 at the JPL Small-Body Database
  • Close approach · Discovery · Ephemeris · Orbit viewer · Orbit parameters · Physical parameters

• Comets in 2020
• Periodic comets
• Centaurs (small Solar System bodies)
• Discoveries by Pan-STARRS
• Chiron-type comets
• Astronomical objects discovered in 2020