News - November 2007

2007 November 28

Recovery!: L. Buzzi and F. Luppi (Varese, Italy) report their recovery of comet P/2000 B3 on Nov. 17, 26, and 27, 2007. The correction to the prediction on MPC 54167 is Delta(T)= +0.16 day. The 18.5^m comet P/2007 W2 (LINEAR) will pass perihelion on Feb. 26, 2008, at about 1.7 AU. The period is about 8.0 years. (IAUC 8900, subscription required)

2007 November 24

New Discovery!: A. Boattini reports his discovery of a new comet on Nov. 20, 2007, in the course of the Mt. Lemmon Survey. The comet was confirmed by C. Snodgrass (ESO 3.58-m New Technology Telescope (+ EMMI) on Nov. 23. Following posting on the NEO Confirmation Page, E. Guido and G. Sostero (remotely from Mayhill) were also able to confirm the cometary nature of the 17.5^m object. The first and preliminary orbit for comet C/2007 W1 (Boattini) indicates perihelion on Jun. 14, 2008, at about 0.7 AU. The inclination is only about 10°. If the first orbit will be confirmed then the comet might be an easy binocular objetc for 2008. This is the 16^th comet for the Mt. Lemmon Survey. (IAUC 8899, subscription required, MPEC 2007-W63)

2007 November 10

New Discovery!: R. E. Hill reports his discovery of a new comet on Nov. 9, 2007, in the course of the Mt. Lemmon Survey. After posting on the NEO Confirmation Page J. Young and W. Young (Table Mountain) and R. Ligustri and D. Da Rio (Talmassons) were able to confirm the cometary nature. The first orbit for the 19^m comet P/2007 V2 (Hill) - with the help of pre-discovery observations by Spacewatch from Oct. 14 - indicates perihelion already on Jul. 31, 2007, at about 2.7 AU. The period is about 8.2 years. This is the 15^th comet for the Mt. Lemmon Survey and the 7^th for Hill. (IAUC 8894, subscription required, MPEC 2007-V75)

2007 November 09

New Discovery!: S. M. Larson reports his discovery of a new comet on Nov. 8, 2007, in the course of the Catalina Sky Survey. After posting on the NEO Confirmation Page P. Birtwhistle (Great Shefford), J. Lacruz (Madrid), G. Hug (Eskridge), E. Guido and G. Sostero (remotely near Mayhill), J. G. Ries (McDonald Observatory) and R. E. Hill (Mt. Lemmon) were able to confirm the cometary nature of the 17.5^m object. Additionally pre-discovery observations by Catalina of Sep. 10, and Oct. 21, by LONEOS of Oct. 10, and by LINEAR of Nov. 8, were also found. The orbit for comet P/2007 V1 (Larson) indicates perihelion on Dec. 8, 2007, at about 2.7 AU. The period is about 11.1 years. This is the 54^th comet for the Catalina Sky Survey and the 3^rd for Larson. (IAUC 8893, subscription required, MPEC 2007-V72)