We have measured the absolute proper motion of the young globular cluster Pal 12 with respect to background galaxies , using plate material spanning a 40-year time baseline , and measuring stars down to a magnitude V \sim 22 .
The measured absolute proper motion has an uncertainty of 0.3 mas yr ^ { -1 } in each coordinate .

Pal 12 ’ s young age for a globular cluster led to the hypothesis that the cluster originated in the Large Magellanic Cloud ( LMC ) and was later captured by the Milky Way ( Lin & Richer 1992 ) .
Here we investigate this hypothesis using the complete kinematical data .
We present the orbital characteristics of Pal 12 and compare them with those of the LMC and Sagittarius dwarf galaxy ( Sgr ) .
The present kinematical data suggest that , from the two parent candidates for Pal 12 , Sgr presents a more plausible case for the host galaxy than the LMC .

We explore this scenario in the context of the uncertainties in the orbits and using two different analyses : the direct comparison of the orbits of Pal 12 and Sgr as a function of time , and the analytical model of Sgr ’ s tidal disruption developed by Johnston ( 1998 ) .
We find that , within the present uncertainties of the observables , this scenario is viable in both methods .
Moreover , both methods place this event at the same point in time .
Our best estimate of the time of Pal 12 ’ s tidal capture from Sgr is \sim 1.7 Gyr ago .