News - February 2004

2004 Feb 28

New Discovery!: An apparently asteroidal object discovered in the course of the NEAT survey on Feb. 17, 2004, and posted on the NEO Confirmation Page, has been found to be cometary by follow-up observers J. Ticha and M. Tichy (Klet) and by P. Birtwhistle (Great Shefford). The first orbit for the 19.5^m comet C/2004 D1 (NEAT) shows a perihelion in February 2006, at about 5 AU. This is NEATs 41^st comet discovery. (IAUC 8294, MPEC 2004-D44)
Two apparently asteroidal objects moving in comet-like orbits have been discovered recently: 2004 CM₁₁₁ was found by Spacewatch on Feb. 13, 2004. The 20^m object has a perihelion distance of about 4.9 AU, an eccentricity of about 0.85 and a period of 190 years. 2004 DO₂₉ was found also by Spacewatch on Feb. 17, 2004, (with prediscovery images by LONEOS on Feb. 11). The 19^m object has a perihelion distance of about 4.1 AU, an eccentricity of about 0.45 and a period of about 20.4 years. Until now no sign of cometary activity has been reported. (MPEC 2004-D37, MPEC 2004-D45)

2004 Feb 18

Further SOHO backlog comets (all Kreutz group): C/2003 J3 (SOHO) (R. Kracht), C/2003 J4 (SOHO) (R. Matson), C/2003 J5 (SOHO) (P. Shkreby), C/2003 J6 (SOHO) (R. Kracht, J. Sachs) and C/2003 J7 (H. Otterstedt). Current official SOHO score: 613 comets. (MPEC 2004-D08)

2004 Feb 15

New Discovery!: J. A. Larsen (LPL) discovered a new comet on Feb. 12, 2004, in the course of the Spacewatch survey. After posting the object on the NEO Confirmation Page the cometary appearance was confirmed by J. Young (Table Mountain) and J. E. McGaha (Tucson). The first and preliminary parabolic orbit for the 18.5^m comet C/2004 C1 (Larsen) shows a perihelion in Oct. 2005, at about 4.3 AU. (IAUC 8286, MPEC 2004-C52)
Further SOHO backlog comets (all Kreutz group): C/2003 F5 (SOHO) (R. Kracht), C/2003 G4 (SOHO) (X. Leprette), C/2003 H8 (SOHO) (X.-m. Zhou), C/2003 H9 (SOHO) (X.-m. Zhou), C/2003 H10 (SOHO) (T. Hoffman), C/2003 H11 (SOHO) (R. Kracht), C/2003 H12 (SOHO) (R. Matson) an C/2003 J2 (SOHO) (R. Matson). Current official SOHO score: 608 comets. (MPEC 2004-C53, MPEC 2004-C54)

2004 Feb 08

Further SOHO backlog comets (all Kreutz group): C/2003 E2 (SOHO) (D. Evans), C/2003 E3 (SOHO) (S. Hönig), C/2003 E4 (SOHO) (D. Johnson), C/2003 F3 (SOHO) (M. Oates) and C/2003 F4 (SOHO) (X. Leprette). Current official SOHO score: 600 comets. (MPEC 2004-C31)

2004 Feb 03

New Discovery!: An apparently asteroidal object discovered already on Nov. 18, 2003, by the LINEAR survey, observed only in two nights and designated 2003 WC₇ was independently discovered by the Catalina Sky Survey on Jan. 31, 2004. After placing the object on the NEOCP is has been found cometary by several observers. The 16.5 ^m comet P/2003 WC₇ (LINEAR-Catalina) passes perihelion on Feb. 5, 2004, at about 1.7 AU. Its period is about 11.8 years. This is LINEARs 133^rd and Catalina's 10^th comet discovery. (IAUC 8280, MPEC 2004-C03)