News - June

2006 June 27

Y.-J. Choi, P. Weissman, S. Chesley, and J. Bauer (JPL); J. Stansberry (University of Arizona); S. Tegler (Northern Arizona University); W. Romanishin (Oklahoma University); and G. Consolmagno (Vatican Observatory) report that images of comet 174P/Echeclus taken since the end of December 2005 indicate that the source of activity is a secondary companion that is moving independently from the primary. While the primary seems to be not active and has a brightness of about 20.5^m, the secondary is active with a bright coma of about 16.5^m. The rapid motion of the secondary with respect to the primary indicates that the object is not in a bound Keplerian orbit but is moving rather in a hyperbolic orbit relative to the primary and may be an ejected fragment or even an escaped satellite. (CBET 563, subscription neccessary)

2006 June 25

Recovery!: An apparently asteroidal object, discovered on June 23, 2006, in the course of the LINEAR survey has been found to be cometary by L. Buzzi (Schiaparelli Observatory), R. Salvo (Los Molinos) and J. Broughton (Reedy Creek). A preliminary orbit determination by D. W. E. Green (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics) led to his suggestion of the identity with P/1889 M1 (Barnard) = 1889 III = 1889c. Orbital computations by B. G. Marsden confirmed the link, however, systematic trends in the residuals are present, possibly related to non-gravitational effects. It will pass perihelion on Aug. 28, 2006, at about 1.1 AU. The period is about 120 years.
Comet P/2006 M3 (Barnard) was discovered visually by E. E. Barnard on June 24, 1889, with a 16-cm refractor. The comet was then just 3 days past perihelion and was seen until August 1889. It was described as faint and without or only slight condensation throughout its apparition.
This year's return is quite favorable. It will approach Earth to about 0.35 AU shortly before perihelion. Taking the 1889's brightness as a reference the comet could well reach 8^m. But this would mean that the comet should already be brighter than the currently reported 15.5^m. Close monitoring is strongly encouraged. (CBET 558, subscription neccessary, MPEC 2006-M38)

2006 June 24

New Discovery!: An apparently asteroidal object, discovered on June 18, 2006, in the course of the LINEAR survey has been found to be a comet after it was placed on the NEO Confirmation Page by P. Birtwhistle (Great Shefford) and J. Young (Table Mountain). The 18^m comet C/2006 M1 (LINEAR) will pass perihelion according to the first and preliminary orbit on Nov. 17, 2006, at about 4.1 AU. This is the 167^th comet for the LINEAR survey. (IAUC 8724, subscription neccessary, MPEC 2006-M26)
New Discovery!: An apparently asteroidal object, discovered on June 19, 2006, in the course of the Spacwatch survey has been found to be cometary after its placement on the NEO Confirmation Page by J. Young (Table Mountain). The 20.5^m comet C/2006 M2 (Spacewatch) has already passed perihelion (according to the first and preliminary orbit) on Nov. 20, 2005, at about 5.2 AU. This is the 35^th comet for Spacewatch. (IAUC 8725, subscription neccessary, MPEC 2006-M27)

Further SOHO comets (all named SOHO):

Designation  Group   Discoverer     Notes
C/2006 J12   Kreutz  G. Sun
C/2006 K6    Kreutz  R. Matson
C/2006 K7    Kreutz  L. Cane
C/2006 K8    Kreutz  B. Zhou
C/2006 K9    Kreutz  R. Matson
C/2006 K10   Kreutz  W. Xu
C/2006 K11   Kreutz  H. Su
C/2006 K12   Kreutz  H. Su
C/2006 K13   Kreutz  G. Sun
C/2006 K14   Kreutz  R. Matson

Official SOHO comets: 1150. (MPEC 2006-M28, MPEC 2006-M30)

2006 June 15

New Discovery!: R. H. McNaught reports his discovery of a new comet on June 14, 2006, in the course of the Siding Spring Survey. After posting the object on the NEO Confirmation Page J. E. McGaha (Tucson) and G. Hug and D. Tibbets (Eskridge) were able to confirm the 13.5^m comet. McGaha adds that the comet showed brightness variations by about 1^m within only 10 minutes. A visual confirmation by A. Hale (Cloudcroft) showed a diffuse comet at 13.5^m. The first and preliminary orbit for comet C/2006 L2 (McNaught) shows perihelion on Nov. 22, 2006, at about 1.9 AU. The comet may reach 12^m but will be poorly placed at perihelion. This is the 24^th comet for the Siding Spring Survey and the 30^th for McNaught. (IAUC 8721, subscription neccessary, MPEC 2006-L63)

2006 June 08

New Discovery!: Gordon J. Garradd reports his discovery of a new comet on June 04, 2006, in the course of the Siding Spring Survey. The 17.5^m comet C/2006 L1 (Garradd) will pass perihelion (according to the first and preliminary orbit) on Oct. 17, 2006, at about 1.5 AU. It may then reach 13^m for observers in the northern hemisphere. This is the 23^rd comet for the Siding Spring Survey. (IAUC 8719, subscription neccessary, MPEC 2006-L35)

Further SOHO comets (all named SOHO):

Designation  Group   Discoverer     Notes
C/2006 J4    Kreutz  K. Battams
C/2006 J5    Meyer   H. Su          70^th member of the Meyer group
C/2006 J6    Kreutz  R. Matson, J. Sachs
C/2006 J7    Kreutz  T. Hoffman
C/2006 J8    Kreutz  T. Hoffman
C/2006 J9    Kreutz  H. Su, T. Chen
C/2006 J10   Kreutz  T. Hoffman
C/2006 J11   Kreutz  J. Sachs

Official SOHO comets: 1140. (MPEC 2006-L31, MPEC 2006-L32)

2006 June 05

An apparently asteroidal object, discovered in the course of the Siding Spring Survey on Apr. 23, 2006, and then designated 2006 HW₅₁, has been found to be cometary by A. Fitzsimmons (Queen's University, Belfast) together with S. C. Lowry and C. Snodgrass on images taken with the 2.0-m Faulkes Telescope North on June 4.3 UT and 5.3 UT. The 17^m comet C/2006 HW₅₁ (Siding Spring) will pass perihelion on Sep. 29, 2006, at about 2.3 AU. This is the 22^nd comet for the Siding Spring Survey. (IAUC 8718, subscription neccessary, MPEC 2006-L27)

Further SOHO comets (all named SOHO):

Designation  Group   Discoverer     Notes
C/1998 J5    Kreutz  H. Su
C/1999 X3    -       H. Su
C/2006 H6    Kreutz  H. Su, J. Sachs
C/2006 J1    Kreutz  H. Su
C/2006 J2    Kreutz  T. Hoffman
C/2006 J3    Kreutz  H. Su
C/2006 K5    -       H. Su

Official SOHO comets: 1132. (MPEC 2006-L20)