News - December 2008

2008 December 28

M. Meyer (Limburg) was able to detect comet P/2008 X1 (Hill) in archival NEAT images of Mar. 24, 2003, and subsequently identified an ONS observation by LONEOS of Apr. 1, 2003. This lead in turn to the designation P/2003 F6 (Hill). (MPEC 2008-Y60)

2008 December 26

New Discovery!: A. Boattini reports his discovery of a new comet on Dec. 22, 2008, in the course of the Catalina Sky Survey. After placement on the NEO Confirmation Page F. Hormuth (Calar Alto), R. Ligustri (Talmassons), G. Masi (Ceccano), L. Buzzi (Varese), and G. Hug (Scranton) were able to confirm the 18^th comet. The first and preliminary orbit for comet C/2008 Y1 (Boattini) indicates perihelion on Feb. 16, 2009, at about 1.4 AU. This is the 66^th for Catalina and the 7^th for Boattini. (IAUC 9007, subscription required, MPEC 2008-Y53)

2008 December 18

Further SOHO comets (all named SOHO):

Designation  Group   Discoverer     Notes
C/2008 S5    Kreutz  R. Matson
C/2008 S6    Kreutz  M. Kusiak
C/2008 S7    Kreutz  J. Ruan
C/2008 S8    Kreutz  M. Kusiak
C/2008 X5    Meyer   R. Kracht      93^rd member of the Meyer group
C/2008 X6    Marsden R. Kracht      32^nd member of the Marsden group

Official SOHO comets: 1533
The positions for comets C/2003 Q1 and C/2003 Q6 have been re-measured and re-reduced. The new orbits indicate membership to the Marsden group.
(MPEC 2008-Y04, MPEC 2008-Y06)

2008 December 13

Recovery!: During the course of routine searches in STEREO-B's SECCHI HI1 images, A. Watson (Melbourne) found an unknown object in data taken on Dec. 8, and 9, 2008. R. Kracht (Elmshorn) then provided a provisional parabolic orbit from the available positions, from which M. Meyer (Limburg) suggested that the 10^m object is identical with comet P/2003 K2, which was expected to reach perihelion on Jan. 8, 2009. The suggested identity was confirmed by B. G. Marsden, who was able to link the data and showed that the perihelion date had to be corrected by -22 days.
Comet P/2008 X4 (Christensen) will pass perihelion on Dec. 19, 2008, at about 0.53 AU. The period is about 5.66 years. The comet will quickly move into conjunction passing about 1° from the sun around Christmas. It may be visible in SOHO images, too. Afterwards the comet will move to northern skies but fading quickly. (IAUC 9005, subscription required, MPEC 2008-X81)
New permanent periodic comet numberings: 208P = P/2008 U1 (McMillan) = P/2000 S7, 209P = P/2008 X2 (LINEAR) = P/2004 CB. (IAUC 9005, subscription required)

2008 December 08

Additional astrometry - including prediscovery observations by LINEAR of Dec. 4, 2008 - has shown that comet 2008 X1 is of short period. The revised orbit for comet P/2008 X1 (Hill) shows perihelion on May 11, 2009, at about 2.3 AU. The period is about 6.8 years. (MPEC 2008-X65)

2008 December 06

New Discovery!: An apparently asteroidal object discovered on Dec. 4, 2008, in the course of the LINEAR Survey has been found cometary after posting on the NEO Confirmation Page by R. A. Kowalski (Mt. Lemmon) and G. Hug (Scranton). The first and preliminary orbit for comet C/2008 X3 (LINEAR) shows perihelion already on Nov. 19, 2008, at about 2.1 AU. This is the 186^th comet for LINEAR. (IAUC 9003, subscription required, MPEC 2008-X48)
G. Hug (Scranton) has recovered comet P/2004 CB on Dec. 4, and 5, as a stellar object at 19.5^m. The correction to the prediction on MPC 56803 is Delta-T = +0.16 day. Comet P/2008 X2 (LINEAR) will pass perihelion on Apr. 15, 2009, at about 0.914 AU. The period is 5.04 years. (IAUC 9002, subscription required)

2008 December 05

New Discovery!: R. E. Hill reports his discovery of a new comet on Dec. 4, 2008, in the course of the Catalina Sky Survey. After placement on the NEO Confirmation Page R. Ligustri, E. Guido, G. Sostero, and P. Camilleri (remotely near Mayhill) and R. A. Kowalski (Mt. Lemmon)were able to confirm the 17.5^th comet. The first and preliminary orbit for comet C/2008 X1 (Hill) indicates perihelion on May 20, 2009, at about 1.6 AU. This is the 65^th for Catalina and the 13^th for Hill. (IAUC 9001, subscription required, MPEC 2008-X42)
S. Nakano (Sumoto, Japan) has identified comet P/2008 U1 (McMillan) with observations of an apparently asteroidal object of Sep. 23, and Oct. 2, 2000, obtained in the course of the LONEOS survey, which received the designation P/2000 S7. The observations needed a correction of Delta-T = +1.19 days for the 2000 orbit derived from the 2008 observations. The comet approached Jupiter to 0.18 AU on Jul. 8, 2004. (IAUC 9000, subscription required)

2008 December 03

New permanent periodic comet numberings: 206P = P/2008 T3 (Barnard-Boattini) = P/1892 T1, 207P = P/2008 T5 (NEAT) = P/2001 J1. (IAUC 8999, subscription required,)

Further SOHO comets (all named SOHO):

Designation  Group   Discoverer     Notes
C/2008 Q5    Kreutz  J. Ruan
C/2008 R8    ---     R. Kracht
C/2008 R9    Kreutz  B. Zhou
C/2008 R10   Kreutz  R. Kracht
C/2008 R11   Kreutz  B. Zhou
C/2008 R12   Kreutz  B. Zhou
C/2008 R13   Kreutz  H. Su
C/2008 S4    Kreutz  R. Matson

Official SOHO comets: 1527 (MPEC 2008-X24, MPEC 2008-X25)