News - January 2009

2009 January 30

New Discovery!: An apparently asteroidal object discovered already on Nov. 30, 2008, and reobserved on Dec. 28, 2008, in the course of the LINEAR Survey and subsequently designated 2008 WZ₉₆ has been found cometary by several observers recently. P. C. Sherrod (Conway), J. Y. Young (Table Mountain), and J. E. McGaha (Tucson) were able to detect a coma. Comet P/2008 WZ₉₆ (LINEAR) passed perihelion on Jan. 23, 2009, at about 1.64 AU. The period is about 6.14 years. This is the 188^th comet for LINEAR. (IAUC 9015, subscription required, MPEC 2009-B73)

Further SOHO comets (all named SOHO):

Designation  Group   Discoverer     Notes
C/2008 U10   Kreutz  Z. Xu
C/2008 U11   Kreutz  H. Su
C/2008 U12   Kreutz  R. Kracht
C/2008 U13   Kreutz  R. Matson
C/2008 U14   Kreutz  B. Zhou
C/2008 U15   Kreutz  J. Ruan
C/2008 U16   Kreutz  R. Matson

Official SOHO comets: 1555 (MPEC 2009-B70, MPEC 2009-B71)

2009 January 29

Comet 2008 Y1 has been shown to be of short period. P/2008 Y1 (Boattini) will pass perihelion on Feb. 25, 2009, at about 1.27 AU. The period is about 10.4 years. (MPEC 2009-B62)

Further SOHO comets (all named SOHO):

Designation  Group   Discoverer     Notes
C/2008 U2    Kreutz  E. Banach
C/2008 U3    Kreutz  R. Matson
C/2008 U4    Kreutz  R. Matson
C/2008 U5    Kreutz  R. Matson
C/2008 U6    Meyer   M. Kusiak      95^th member of the Meyer group
C/2008 U7    Kreutz  R. Kracht
C/2008 U8    Kreutz  T. Hoffman
C/2008 U9    Kreutz  H. Su

Official SOHO comets: 1548 (MPEC 2009-B66, MPEC 2009-B67)

2009 January 22

New Discovery!: A. Boattini reports his discovery of a new comet on Jan. 21, 2009, in the course of the Catalina Sky Survey. After placement on the NEO Confirmation Page W. H. Ryan (Magdalena Ridge Observatory), J. Bedient (Faulkes Telescope North, Haleakala), T. Kryachko and S. Korotkiy (Astrotel Observatory), L. Buzzi (Varese), R. Holmes (Charleston), D. T. Durig and M. F. Mansfield (Sewanee), and E. Guido, G. Sostero and P. Camilleri (remotely from near Mayhill) were able to confirm the 18^th comet. The first and preliminary orbit for comet C/2009 B1 (Boattini) indicates perihelion on Apr. 14, 2009, at about 2.0 AU. The comet might be of short period. This is the 68^th for Catalina and the 8^th for Boattini. (IAUC 9013, subscription required, MPEC 2009-B46)

2009 January 17

Further STEREO comets (all named STEREO)

Designation  Group   Discoverer     Notes
C/2008 W1    Kreutz  A. Watson
C/2009 A1    ---     A. Watson

Official STEREO comets: 8 (MPEC 2009-B10)

Further SOHO comets (all named SOHO):

Designation  Group   Discoverer     Notes
C/2008 T6    Meyer   B. Zhou        94^th member of the Meyer group
C/2008 T7    ---     R. Kracht
C/2008 T8    Kreutz  J. Ruan
C/2008 T9    Kreutz  M. Kusiak
C/2008 T10   Kreutz  T. Hoffman
C/2008 T11   Kreutz  H. Su
C/2008 T12   Kreutz  R. Kracht

Official SOHO comets: 1540 (MPEC 2009-A59)

2009 January 14

On Dec. 20, 2000, the NEAT survey discovered an apparently asteroidal object, which was then designated 2000 YN₃₀. On Oct. 30, 2008, the object was recovered by the Spacewatch survey. Observations by A. R. Gibbs (Catalina Sky Survey) on Jan. 2, 2009, have now revealed a coma and a tail. Y. C. Cheng and H. Y. Hsiao (Lulin Observatory) also reported a tail. J. V. Scotti (Spacewatch) also reports a coma and a tail. Comet 212P/2000 YN₃₀ (NEAT) passed perihelion on Dec. 3, 2008, at about 1.7 AU. The period is about 7.8 years. (IAUC 9008, subscription required, MPEC 2008-V41)
Permanent comet numberings: 210P = P/2008 X4 = P/2003 K2 (Christensen) and 211P = P/2008 X1 = P/2003 F6 (Hill). (IAUC 9008, subscription required)
Further astrometry has shown that comet 2008 Y1 is of short period. Comet P/2008 Y1 (Boattini) will pass perihelion on Feb. 25, 2009, at about 1.3 AU. The period is about 9.5 years. (MPEC 2009-A61)

2009 January 09

Further astrometry revealed that comet 2008 Y3 is of short period. M. Meyer (Limburg) then identified prediscovery observations obtained by the Lulin Sky Survey of Dec. 18, 2007, and the Mt. Lemmon Survey of Dec. 31, 2007. Comet P/2008 Y3 (McNaught) will pass perihelion on Jan. 11, 2009, at about 4.4 AU. The period is about 22.7 years. (MPEC 2009-A43, MPEC 2009-A54)

2009 January 02

New Discovery!: A. R. Gibbs reports his discovery of a new comet on Dec. 31, 2008, in the course of the Catalina Sky Survey. T. Spahr (SAO) identified this object with observations obtained on Dec. 1, at Mt. Lemmon, and on Dec. 21, by Catalina. After placement on the NEO Confirmation Page J. V. Scotti (Spacewatch), R. Ligustri (remotely near Mayhill), and E. Guido, G. Sostero, and P. Camilleri (remotely near Mayhill) were able to confirm the 18^th comet. The first and preliminary orbit for comet P/2008 Y2 (Gibbs) indicates perihelion on Jan. 22, 2009, at about 1.6 AU. The period is about 6.8 years. This is the 67^th for Catalina and the 11^th for Gibbs. (IAUC 9008, subscription required, MPEC 2009-A03)
New Discovery!: R. H. McNaught reports his discovery of a new comet on Dec. 31, 2008, in the course of the Siding Spring Survey. After posting on the NEO Confirmation Page R. Ligustri (remotely near Mayhill), E. Guido, G. Sostero, and P. Camilleri (remotely near Mayhill), and J. E. McGaha (Tucson) were able to confirm the cometary nature of the 17^m object. The first and preliminary orbit for comet C/2008 Y3 (McNaught) indicates perihelion on Nov. 8, 2009, at about 1.9 AU. The comet may be of short to intermediate period. This is the 55^th comet for the Siding Spring Survey and the 45^th for McNaught. (IAUC 9009, subscription required, MPEC 2009-A04)