LCO Outbursting Objects Key (LOOK) Project
September 1, 2026
The LCO Outbursting Objects Key (LOOK) Project started in 2020 with two main objectives: (1) to use the telescopes of the LCO Network to systematically monitor a sample of Dynamically New Comets (from the Oort cloud) over the whole sky. (2) to rapidly follow up announcements of outbursts and unexpected activity on any small solar system object for confirmation and more detailed characterization. The project has had great success on both of these goals, and its mission has evolved to include: (3) dedicated mini-outburst discovery campaigns for comets with close approaches to the Earth, and (4) rotaional studies of long-period comets with cometary CN filters, now globally distributed on the LCO Network. We've also teamed up with the Faulkes Telescope Project's Comet Chasers educational outreach program to provide a source of interesting targets for school children to follow up on and contribute to scientific studies.
Gallery
LOOK Project overview, July 2024
C/2019 F1 (ATLAS-Africano) and C/2019 L3 (ATLAS) lightcurves
7P/Pons-Winnecke outbursts, March 2021![[object Object]](/~mkelley5/static/lister22fig5-b63dc6c6b1333fe049e5704eca2678d6.jpg)
7P/Pons-Winnecke post-perihelion outbursts![[object Object]](/~mkelley5/static/ferellec24-fig1-abd6314a7ab2076b5b33f793bd435d05.jpg)
12P/Pons-Brooks morphology![[object Object]](/~mkelley5/static/lister22fig6-ac71c4b21413fd823f5aef71c1c51833.jpg)
57P/duToit-Neujmin-Delporte, October/November 2022![[object Object]](/~mkelley5/static/dobson24-chiron-fig12-6c9d46e0cc213329c70652a7e6991e6c.jpg)
95P/Chiron (2060) lightcurve![[object Object]](/~mkelley5/static/lister22fig8-12655cfefbced26b69a25c4c581cd928.jpg)
156P/Russell-LINEAR lightcurve![[object Object]](/~mkelley5/static/lister22fig9-fc708a94043b6e3125a4e9e0c0bf1196.jpg)
156P/Russell-LINEAR morphology![[object Object]](/~mkelley5/static/lister22fig7-b496a3d20464047dcbf506e068e3848b.jpg)
P/2020 X1 (ATLAS) lightcurve![[object Object]](/~mkelley5/static/2014UN271_210621_rmean_v5-60887f1ca2b97a6cb6494de4a5495781.png)
C/2014 UN271 is a comet, June 2021![[object Object]](/~mkelley5/static/kelley22-c2014un271-fig1-89421695649624f6d0bbc77c16651035.jpg)
C/2014 UN271 morphology, June 2021 to February 2022![[object Object]](/~mkelley5/static/kelley22-c2014un271-fig2-ccf73fd823447e4301a6e9e169ead703.jpg)
C/2014 UN271 color, June 2021 to February 2022![[object Object]](/~mkelley5/static/kelley22-c2014un271-fig3-4cb15a5e1bfd9f3ae617dad0f5dbcb66.jpg)
C/2014 UN271 lightcurve, June 2021 to February 2022![[object Object]](/~mkelley5/static/kelley22-c2014un271-fig6-edit-0e870b8dd277576b085dec612f8a223a.jpg)
C/2014 UN271 lightcurve, June 2021 to February 2022![[object Object]](/~mkelley5/static/hui23-fig2-13ecaf9c9741c4531d4ac9bf83b9cba9.jpg)
C/2018 F4 (PanSTARRS)![[object Object]](/~mkelley5/static/hui23-fig5-a1c95643784f74957c7893ed792f9985.jpg)
C/2018 F4 (PanSTARRS)![[object Object]](/~mkelley5/static/lister22fig4-acdbcc31893d790de16300c5c21174cb.jpg)
C/2019 L3 (ATLAS) and C/2020 R7 (ATLAS)
C/2020 R4 (ATLAS) outbursts, April/May 2021![[object Object]](/~mkelley5/static/lister22fig11-aadbe62f0124a459f3312be157bc72fb.jpg)
C/2021 A1 (Leonard) morphology, November 2021
C/2021 E3 (ZTF) morphology
C/2021 O3 (PanSTARRS), presumed disintegrated![[object Object]](/~mkelley5/static/hsieh23-fig1-a3a37981d74e8cc560b3191070aa8801.jpg)
C/2023 RN3 (ATLAS) morphology, November 2023![[object Object]](/~mkelley5/static/dobson24-c2023rn3-fig8-324202f7e54800b84e68b3c6b10d78d6.jpg)
C/2023 RN3 (ATLAS) activity versus time, August 2023 to January 2024
Collaborators
We have a large team of cometary, outer solar system, and asteroidal experts, primarily derived from the LSST Solar System Science Collaboration's Active Objects Working Group and the Comet Interceptor Ground-based Observer Team.
Michele T. Bannister
University of Canterbury, NZ
Dennis Bodewits
Auburn University
Mathieu Vander Donckt
University of Liège
Estela Fernández-Valenzuela
University of Central Florida
Geza Gyuk
Adler Planetarium
Mark Hammergren
Farther Horizons LLC
Carrie Holt
Las Cumbres Observatory
Henry Hsieh
Planetary Science Institute
Man-To Hui
University of Hawaii/Macau University of Science and Technology
Emmanuel Jehin
University of Liège
Michael S. P. Kelley
University of Maryland
Matthew Knight
US Naval Academy
Rosita Kokotanekova
European Southern Observatory
Eva Lilly
Planetary Science Institute
Tim Lister
Las Cumbres Observatory
Ryan Lyttle
Queen's University Belfast
Madeleine McLeod
University of Edinburgh
Youssef Moulane
Mohammed VI Polytechnic University
Antony O'Sullivan
Cardiff University
Vincent Okoth
University of Edinburgh
Cyrielle Opitom
University of Edinburgh
Silvia Protopapa
Southwest Research Institute
Ryan Ridden-Harper
University of Canterbury, NZ
Charles Schambeau
University of Central Florida
Megan Schwamb
Queen's University Belfast
Colin Snodgrass
University of Edinburgh
Cai Stoddard-Jones
Cardiff University
Helen Usher
The Open University, UK
Quanzhi Ye
University of Maryland
Former team members: James Bauer (University of Maryland), Joseph Chatelain (Las Cumbres Observatory), Matthew Dobson (Queen's University Belfast), Daniel Gardener (University of Edinburgh), Joseph Murtagh (Queen's University Belfast), Adam McKay (Appalachian State University), Kacper Wierzchos (Catalina Sky Survey, University of Arizona), Padma A. Yanamandra-Fisher (Space Science Institute)
Press Releases and Selected Articles
Publications
Publications from the team featuring LOOK Project data.
2020 Oct
All
Project summary for the AAS Division for Planetary Sciences meeting.
2022 July
All, 7P/Pons-Winnecke, 57P/duToit-Neujmin-Delporte, 156P/Russell-LINEAR, P/2020 X1 (ATLAS), C/2021 A1 (Leonard)
The LCO Outbursting Objects Key Project: Overview and Year 1 Status
2021 Oct
All Oort cloud comets
Summary of Oort cloud comet program and preliminary results. Includes C/2014 UN271 brightness fading and outburst.
2023 July
All Oort cloud comets
A Song of Fire & Ice: Evolutionary Properties of Hot & Cold Small Bodies
Holt 2023, University of Maryland, College Park
2024 Sep
All Oort cloud comets
Activity pattern of distant long period comets.
2024 Oct
All Oort cloud comets
Brightening trends of distant long-period comets.
2025 Sep
All Oort cloud comets
A new empirical brightening model for distantly active long-period comets.
2024 Dec 10
All Oort cloud comets
Analysis of multiyear lightcurves and colors of 21 Oort cloud comets.
2021 Mar 19
7P/Pons-Winnecke
–0.2 mag outburst. Also tentative –0.4 mag outburst in ZTF data on 2021 Feb 3.
2021 Oct
7P/Pons-Winnecke, 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3
Characterization of Comet Interceptor mission backup targets
2024 Sep 20
12P/Pons-Brooks
Optical coma composition and spatial analysis suggesting an extended source of C2
2021 Apr 20
22P/Kopff
–1.1 mag outburst. Note actual aperture radius for ZTF is 5.7".
2021 Oct 19
29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1
–0.2 mag outburst (discovered in GIT photometry).
2022 Oct 24
44P/Reinmuth 2
–0.6 mag outburst (also –0.4 mag outburst in ZTF data).
2021 Nov 17
67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko
–0.6 mag outburst.
2021 Sep 08
95P/Chiron (2060)
Aphelion activity discovered in ATLAS data.
2024 Jul 25
95P/Chiron (2060)
The Discovery and Evolution of a Possible New Epoch of Cometary Activity by the Centaur (2060) Chiron
2024 Dec
95P/Chiron (2060)
Centaurs and beyond: analysing serendipitous observations from wide-field surveys
Dobson 2024, Queen`s University Belfast
2026 Jul
95P/Chiron (2060), 103P/Hartley 2
Small rocks, big data: towards centaurs, Neptune trojans, and comets in the Legacy Survey of Space and Time
Murtagh 2026, Queen`s University Belfast
2022 Aug 1
285P/LINEAR
–4 mag outburst.
2021 Sep
433P/248370 (2005 QN173)
Imaging and photometry of a new main-belt comet.
2021 Oct
433P/248370 (2005 QN173)
Imaging and photometry of a new main-belt comet.
2021 Jun 22
C/2014 UN271 (Bernardinelli-Bernstein)
Observations and photometry show this previously inactive object is a comet.
Kokotanekova, Lister, Bannister et al. 2021, Astron. Tel.; Buzzi, Demetz, Aletti et al. 2021, Cent. Bur. Electron. Telegr.;
2021 Sep 09
C/2014 UN271 (Bernardinelli-Bernstein)
–0.6 mag outburst.
2021 Oct
C/2014 UN271 (Bernardinelli-Bernstein)
Identification of activity and initial study of long-term lightcurve.
2022 July
C/2014 UN271 (Bernardinelli-Bernstein)
A Look at Outbursts of Comet C/2014 UN271 (Bernardinelli-Bernstein) Near 20 au.
2022 Sep
C/2014 UN271 (Bernardinelli-Bernstein)
Observations during a 20-au outburst of the largest observed Oort-cloud comet C/2014 UN271 (Bernardinelli-Bernstein), focused on VLT data, but includes an update on LOOK observations.
2025 Jun
C/2014 UN271 (Bernardinelli-Bernstein)
First Detection of Molecular Activity in the Largest Known Oort Cloud Comet: ALMA Imaging of C/2014 UN271 (Bernardinelli-Bernstein) at 16.6 au from the Sun
2023 Jul 05
C/2018 F4 (PanSTARRS)
Photometry and morphology of and possible causes for the split comet C/2018 F4 (PanSTARRS).
2021 May 10
C/2020 R4 (ATLAS)
–0.6 mag outburst (also –1.0, –1.1 outbursts in ZTF data).
2021 Jun 04
C/2020 R4 (ATLAS)
–1.4 mag brightening over a 94 hr period.
Kelley, Lister, Sharma et al. 2021, Cent. Bur. Electron. Telegr.
2023 Dec 01
C/2023 RN3 (ATLAS)
Identification of cometary activity.
2024 Nov 28
C/2023 RN3 (ATLAS)
Analysis of the activity and orbital dynamics of a distant Jupiter-family comet.
2025 Aug 26
C/2023 RS61 (PanSTARRS)
Brighter than –2 mag outburst in a very red centaur.
2025 Nov 6
C/2025 K1 (ATLAS)
Two small apparent outbursts and morphological variations.
2026 Feb 15
C/2026 B2 (Sun-Gao)
Two outbursts, –1.1 and –0.9 mag.
2026 March 26
C/2025 K1 (ATLAS)
Sequential fragmentation of C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) after its near-sun passage
2026 May 13
63P/Wild 1
An apparent outburst of strength –1.2 mag.
2026 May 13
24P/Schaumasse
Two outbursts of strength –0.7 and –1.1 mag.
2026 Jun 3
220P/McNaught
Large outburst of strength –6.3 mag.
2026 Jul 8
C/2024 E1 (Wierzchoś)
Analysis of JWST observations of volatiles and comparison to LOOK optical light curve.
Carrie E. Holt, Colin Snodgrass, Michael S.P. Kelley et al. 2026, Asteroids, Comets, Meteors 2026
2026 Jul 9
Various
Analysis of differences between long-period comets with perihelia inside versus outside of Saturn's orbit.
Colin Snodgrass 2026, Asteroids, Comets, Meteors 2026
2026 Jul 9
95P/(2060) Chiron
Analysis of the recent aphelion outburst of active centaur Chiron.
Murtagh, Schwamb, Kelley et al. 2026, Asteroids, Comets, Meteors 2026
2026 Jul 29
7P/Pons-Winnecke
A Look at Eight Outbursts of Comet 7P/Pons–Winnecke
2026 Aug
259P/Garradd
The 2026 Reactivation of Main-belt Comet 259P/Garradd (2008 R1)
2026 Aug
433P/(248370)
The 2026 Reactivation of Main-belt Comet 433P/(248370) 2005 QN173
2026 Aug 3
95P/(2060) Chiron, 103P/Hartley 2
Multiyear Ground-based Survey Photometry of Active Comet 103P/Hartley 2 and Centaur (2060) Chiron: A Tale of Two Comets in the Pre-LSST Era
Observations
We use the NEOexchange Target Observation Manager (Lister et al. 2021) to schedule observations. NEOx provides a solar system centered interface to the Las Cumbres Observatory scheduling system. Below is a summary of our observations taken up to 2024-07-24.
0 rows
| Object | First date (UTC) | Last date (UTC) | Δt (days) | N epochs | First rh (au) | Last rh (au) | Total exposure time (s) |
|---|
0 rows
Δt = total time span covered, N epochs = approximate number of distinct observational epochs, rh = heliocentric distance (<0 for pre-perihelion epochs).