C/2014 Q3 (Borisov)
C/2014 Q3 (Borisov) is a periodic comet discovered at apparent magnitude 17 on 22 August 2014 by amateur astronomer Gennadiy Borisov using a 0.3-meter (12 in) astrograph. It is the third comet discovered by Borisov. The comet is best viewed from the northern hemisphere.
NEOWISE image of the comet on 27 November 2014 | |
| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Gennadiy Borisov 0.3 m f/1.5 astrograph (L51) |
| Discovery date | 22 August 2014 |
| Orbital characteristics | |
| Epoch | 9 December 2014 |
| Aphelion | 55.111 au |
| Perihelion | 1.6474 au (q) |
| Eccentricity | 0.94196 |
| Orbital period | 146 years (epoch 2050) |
| Inclination | 89.949° |
| Last perihelion | 19 November 2014 |
| Next perihelion | ~2160 |
The comet was expected to reach about magnitude ~11 near perihelion (closest approach to the Sun), but brightened to around magnitude 10. By 8 November 2014, the comet had a declination of +83 and was circumpolar from the northern hemisphere. The comet came to perihelion on 19 November 2014 at a distance of 1.65 au from the Sun.
Before entering the planetary region (epoch 1950), C/2014 Q3 had an orbital period of 148 years. After leaving the planetary region (epoch 2050), it has an orbital period of 146 years.