News - April 2003
04/25/2003
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New Discoveries!:
Two apparently asteroidal objects, both discovered on Apr. 24, 2003, by the
LINEAR survey, were found to be
cometary by follow-up observers after posting on the NEO Confirmation Page. First
and very preliminary orbits were published today. The 16m comet
C/2003 H1 (LINEAR) will pass perihelion in early March 2004, at about 2.9 AU.
The comet may reach 12m or brighter in spring 2004.
Comet C/2003 H2 (LINEAR) is about 18m and will pass perihelion
on May 04, 2003, at about 2.3 AU. LINEAR has now found 107 comets.
(IAUC 8122,
MPEC 2003-H28,
MPEC 2003-H29)
04/20/2003
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New Discovery!:
R. H. McNaught has reported observations of a comet found by K. S. Russell on
plates
taken with the U.K. Schmidt Telescope in early September 1986. Attempts to
locate the comet by Russell and McNaught in images of 1986 Sep. 25, were
unsuccessful. T. B. Spahr was now successful in linking this object with an
asteroidal discovery by the LINEAR
survey - 2000 QD181 - observed on 2000 Aug. 31, and Sep. 05
(MPS 18353). Furthermore he was able to link it with another LINEAR discovery -
2000 XV43 - observed from Nov. 2000 - Jan. 2001 (MPO 9348, MPS 23109
and 25364) as well as with 1993 WU, discovered by C. S. Shoemaker et al. with
the 0.46-m Palomar Schmidt telescope on 1993 Nov. 19 and 20 (MPS 397). With
the knowledge of the cometary orbit R. H. McNaught and M. A. Read were now able to
locate the object on the 1986 Sep. 25, plates. The comet P/1986 R1 (Russell-LINEAR)
has a perihelion distance of about 1.6 AU and a period of about 6.8 years. Orbital
elements for the epochs 1986 Nov. 26.0, 1993 Oct. 20.0, and 2000 Aug. 4.0, are
given in IAUC 8118. This is LINEARs 105th comet discovery.
(IAUC 8118,)
04/12/2003
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One SOHO comet received an orbit and a designation: C/2003 G3 (SOHO) was found
by J. Sachs and is not a member of any known comet group. SOHO has now found 558
comets.
(MPEC 2003-G63)
04/11/2003
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New Discovery!:
Also on Apr. 08, the LINEAR survey reported
a cometary object which was then placed on the NEO Confirmation Page.
Several CCD observers confirmed the cometary appearance of this object. The first and
preliminary orbit for the 16.5m comet C/2003 G2 (LINEAR) shows a
perihelion on Apr. 29, 2003, at about 1.6 AU. This is LINEARs 104th
comet discovery.
(IAUC 8116,
MPEC 2003-G62)
04/10/2003
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New Discovery!:
On Apr. 08, the LINEAR survey reported
an apparently asteroidal object which was then placed on the NEO Confirmation Page.
Several CCD observers noted the cometary appearance of this object. The first and
preliminary orbit for the 15m comet C/2003 G1 (LINEAR) shows a
perihelion on Feb. 07, 2003, at about 4.9 AU. This is LINEARs 103rd
comet discovery.
(IAUC 8115,
MPEC 2003-G56)
04/08/2003
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One SOHO comet received an orbit and a designation: C/2002 W8 (SOHO) was found
by K. Cernis (the MPEC gives the wrong discoverers name) and is a member of the
Kreutz group. SOHO has now found 557 comets.
(MPEC 2003-G32)
04/04/2003
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A revised orbit for comet C/2003 F1 (LINEAR) shows that this comet is of
intermediate period with a P of about 96 years. Perihelion will be reached in July
2003 at about 4 AU.
(MPEC 2003-G14)
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An interesting asteroidal object was found on Kitt Peak Observatory. A/2003 CC22
has a period of about 20.5 years and a perihelion distance of about 4.2 AU. The
object is very faint (about 22m) and has shown no signs of cometary
activity.
(MPEC 2003-G16)
04/02/2003
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Two SOHO comets received orbits and designations: C/2002 W6 (SOHO) was found
by R. Matson and C/2002 W7 (SOHO) by D. Evans. Both comets are members of the
Kreutz group. SOHO has now found 556 comets.
(MPEC 2003-G07)
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New Discovery!:
On Mar. 27, 2003, the NEAT survey reported
the discovery of an apparently asteroidal object whhich was placed on the NEO
Confirmation Page. Follow-up observations by G. Masi as well as by M. Tichy and M. Kocer
showed this object to be cometary. The first and preliminary orbit for the
19.5m comet P/2003 F2 (NEAT) shows a perihelion on Apr. 24, 2003,
at about 2.9 AU. The comet is of short period with a P of about 16 years. This is
NEATs 32nd comet discovery.
(IAUC 8104,
MPEC 2003-G04)