C/2018 F4 (PanSTARRS)
C/2018 F4 (PanSTARRS) is a hyperbolic comet (previously classified as A/2018 F4, a hyperbolic asteroid). It was discovered on 17 March 2018 when it was beyond the orbit of Jupiter, 6.4 AU (960 million km) from the Sun. It was quite far from the Sun and turned out to simply be an asteroidal object that was discovered before cometary activity was noticeable. As perihelion (closest approach to the Sun) is inside the orbit of Jupiter, this object should become more active. In April 2018 it was determined to be a hyperbolic comet. Given that the incoming velocity was similar to that of an Oort cloud object, we can very confidently say that it is not of interstellar origin. C/2018 F4 fragmented around August 2020.
Comet's trajectory through the Solar System, with 30-day motion markers | |
| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Pan-STARRS |
| Discovery site | Haleakala Observatory |
| Discovery date | 17 March 2018 |
| Designations | |
MPC designation | C/2018 F4 |
Minor planet category | hyperbolic comet |
| Orbital characteristics | |
| Epoch 23 March 2018 (JD 2458200.5) | |
| Observation arc | 27 days |
| Perihelion | 3.44584±0.0029 AU |
| Eccentricity | 1.00385±0.0072 (JPL) 1.0130±0.0046 (MPC) |
| Inclination | 78.2971±0.19° |
| Jupiter MOID | 0.60 AU (90 million km) |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions | 10–20 km (assumed) |
| 11.8±0.5 | |
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