News - May

2006 May 24

New Discovery!: R. H. McNaught reports his discovery of yet another new comet on May 22, 2006, in the course of the Siding Spring Survey. The first and preliminary orbit for the 17.5^m comet C/2006 K3 (McNaught) shows perihelion on Mar. 13, 2007, at about 2.5 AU. The comet may then reach 14^m. This is the 21^st comet for the Siding Spring Survey and the 29^th for McNaught. (IAUC 8715, subscription neccessary, MPEC 2006-K40)
New Discovery!: An apparently asteroidal object, found on May 18, 2005, in the course of the NEAT survey, has been found to be cometary by J. Young (Table Mountain) after its placement on the NEO Confirmation Page. The first and preliminary orbit for the 19.5^m comet C/2006 K4 (NEAT) shows perihelion on Dec. 3, 2007, at about 3.2 AU. The comet may then reach 14^m. This is the 52^nd comet for the NEAT survey. (IAUC 8715, subscription neccessary, MPEC 2006-K41)
Additional astrometry for comet C/2006 K1 (McNaught) has changed the resulting orbit dramatically. It will now reach perihelion on Jul. 26, 2007, at about 4.4 AU. (MPEC 2006-K33)
Two additional components for comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann have received orbits and designations: BR (16^m) and BS (19^m). (MPEC 2006-K18)

Further SOHO comets (all named SOHO):

Designation  Group   Discoverer     Notes
C/2006 G2    Kreutz  T. Hoffman
C/2006 G3    Kreutz  J. Sachs
C/2006 H2    Kreutz  H. Su 
C/2006 H3    Kreutz  K. Battams
C/2006 H4    Kreutz  A. Ambrus
C/2006 H5    Kreutz  H. Su

Official SOHO comets: 1125. (MPEC 2006-K29)

2006 May 23

New Discovery!: R. H. McNaught reports his discovery of another new comet on May 22, 2006, in the course of the Siding Spring Survey. After posting on the NEO Confirmation Page R. Trentman and R. Fredrick (Louisburg) were able to confirm the cometary nature. The first and preliminary orbit for the 17.5^m comet P/2006 K2 (McNaught) shows perihelion on Aug. 3, 2006, at about 2.0 AU. The period is about 8.1 years. This is the 20^th comet for the Siding Spring Survey and the 28^th for McNaught. (IAUC 8714, subscription neccessary, MPEC 2006-K32)

2006 May 18

New Discovery!: R. H. McNaught reports his discovery of a new comet on May 17, 2006, in the course of the Siding Spring Survey. A. C. Gilmore (Mount John) was able to confirm the cometary nature. The first and preliminary orbit for the 17.5^m comet C/2006 K1 (McNaught) shows perihelion on May 20, 2007, at about 1.4 AU. This would mean that the comet is badly placed at perihelion at the opposite side of the sun. This is the 19^th comet for the Siding Spring Survey and the 27^th for McNaught, who is now on the second place regarding the number of named comets. (IAUC 8712, subscription neccessary, MPEC 2006-K13)

Further SOHO comets (all named SOHO):

Designation  Group   Discoverer     Notes
C/2006 D5    Kreutz  S. Hönig
C/2006 D6    Kreutz  S. Farmer, jr.
C/2006 E3    Kreutz  H. Su 
C/2006 E4    Kreutz  T. Hoffman
C/2006 F5    Kreutz  M. Mazzucato
C/2006 F6    Meyer   T. Hoffman     69^th member of the Meyer group
C/2006 F7    Kreutz  R. Matson
C/2006 F8    Kreutz  H. Su

Official SOHO comets: 1119. (MPEC 2006-K09, MPEC 2006-K10)

2006 May 13

Further SOHO comets (all named SOHO):

Designation  Group   Discoverer  Notes
C/2006 B5    Kreutz  R. Matson
C/2006 B6    Kreutz  K. Battams, Q. Ye
C/2006 C1    Kreutz  R. Matson 
C/2006 C2    Kreutz  S. Farmer, jr.
C/2006 C3    Kreutz  S. Farmer, jr.
C/2006 D2    Kreutz  H. Su
C/2006 D3    Kreutz  S. Farmer, jr.
C/2006 D4    Kreutz  H. Su

Official SOHO comets: 1111. (MPEC 2006-J50, MPEC 2006-J51)

2006 May 11

The comet complex of 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann remains very dynamic. Escpecially the two brightest fragments, B and C, show almost daily variations. B underwent an outburst that increased its brightness to now 5^m.
Four new fragments received orbits and designations: BN (16^m), BO (20^m), BP (18^m), and BQ (17^m).
The Spitzer Space Telescope has produced an impressive mosaic of the 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann complex. (Comets Mailing List, MPEC 2006-J31)

Further SOHO comets (all named SOHO):

Designation  Group   Discoverer  Notes
C/1996 R5    Kreutz  R. Kracht
C/1997 O3    Kreutz  R. Kracht 
C/1997 V8    Kreutz  R. Kracht 
C/1997 V9    none    R. Kracht
C/1997 X7    Meyer   R. Kracht   67^th member of the Meyer group
C/1998 G9    Meyer   R. Kracht   68^th member of the Meyer group
C/1998 L10   Kreutz  R. Kracht
C/1998 T2    Kreutz  R. Kracht
C/1998 W8    Kreutz  R. Kracht

Official SOHO comets: 1103. (MPEC 2006-J44, MPEC 2006-J45)

2006 May 02

New Discovery!: R. H. McNaught reports his discovery of a new comet on Apr. 29, 2006, in the course of the Siding Spring Survey. After posting on the NEO Confirmation Page A. C. Gilmore (Mount John) and J. Young (Table Mountain) were able to confirm the cometary nature. The first and preliminary orbit for the 18^m comet P/2006 H1 (McNaught) shows perihelion already on Feb. 24, 2006, at about 2.2 AU. The period is about 6.6 years. This is the 18^th comet for the Siding Spring Survey and the 26^th for McNaught, who now has the same number of named comets like the legendary Jean-Louis Pons. (CBET 496, subscription neccessary, MPEC 2006-J06)