News - September 2005

2005 September 30

New Discovery!: B. Skiff (Lowell Observatory) reports the discovery of a new comet in the course of the LONEOS survey on Sep. 29, 2005. After posting on the NEO Confirmation Page J. Young (Table Mountain) and E. J. Christensen (Catalina) were able to confirm the 19^m comet. With prediscovery observations by Spacewatch of Sep. 25, the first and very indeterminate orbit for C/2005 S2 (Skiff) shows perihelion not before Feb. 2010(!), at about 3.3 AU. This is LONEOS' 34^th comet discovery. (IAUC 8606, subscription required, MPEC 2005-S78)

2005 September 28

H. Su detected a rather bright Kreutz comet in SOHO/LASCO images on Sep. 27, 2005. Due to its brightness comet C/2005 S1 (SOHO) has already been announced officially. This is the 1004^th SOHO comet. (MPEC 2005-S70)

2005 September 25

Comet P/2002 BV has been permanently numbered as 172P/Yeung after the identification in images of the Palomar Survey of Oct. 20, 1993. There were already pre-discovery images of this comet by Spacewatch of 1998, and by LINEAR of 2000, and 2001 (as 2001 CB₄₀). The previous perihelion passage occured in August 1995, the next will be in October 2008.

2005 September 20

The recently recovered comet P/1998 W1 = P/2005 R3 has been permanently numbered: 171P/Spahr.

2005 September 16

New Discovery!: An apparently asteroidal object discovered on Sep. 13, by the LINEAR survey has been found to be cometary after posting on the NEO Confirmation Page by J. Young (Table Mountain). The 18^m comet C/2005 R4 (LINEAR) will pass perihelion according to the preliminary orbital elements on Jan. 05, 2006, at about 5.4 AU. This is LINEARs 162^nd comet discovery. (IAUC 8601, subscription required, MPEC 2005-S02)

2005 September 14

Comet 169P/NEAT appears brighter than expected. Michael Jäger (Weißenkirchen i.d. Wachau) observed the comet low in the morning sky on Sep. 6, and 7, as bright as 11.5^m with CCD. Alan Hale (Cloudcroft) observed the comet visually at the same brightness on Sep. 12. His last visual observations in early August showed the comet essentially stellar with about 14.5^m. Juan José Gonzáles (Alto del Castro) estimated the comet visually on Sep. 14, as bright as 10.3^m. Further observations are strongly encouraged. For Central Europe the comet now rises higher in the morning sky. (IAUC 8600, subscription required)

2005 September 13

Recovery!: F. Fratev and E. Mihaylova (Plana) and E. J. Christensen (Catalina) recovered comet P/1998 W1 (Spahr) on Sep. 07, 2005. Comet P/2005 R3 (Spahr) was about 17^m and the correction to the prediction was about -0.2 day. The comet passed perihelion on Sep. 03, 2005, at about 1.73 AU. (IAUC 8599, subscription required)

2005 September 11

New Discovery!: M. E. Van Ness (Lowell Observatory) reports the discovery of a new comet on Sep. 02, 2005, in the course of the LONEOS survey. This was confirmed several observers after placing the object on the NEO Confirmation Page. Also pre-discovery images by LINEAR of Aug. 16, and 31, 2005, were found. The 16^m comet P/2005 R2 (Van Ness) passed perihelion on Feb. 11, 2004, at about 2.1 AU. The period is about 6.4 years. This is the 33^rd comet discovery by LONEOS. (IAUC 8597, subscription required, MPEC 2005-R54)
New Discovery!: An apparently asteroidal object discovered already on Mar. 27, 2004, by the LINEAR survey has been found to be cometary by C. Hergenrother (Lunar and Planetary Laboratory) in images taken on May 19, and 20, 2004, at Catalina. Images taken ony July 5, and 6, 2005, did not show the object along 15' of the line of variation down to 22^m, while it was predicted to be as bright as 19^m. Comet P/2004 FY₁₄₀ (LINEAR) passed perihelion on Aug. 08, 2004, at about 4.1 AU. The orbital period is about 11.0 years. This is LINEARs 161^st comet discovery. (IAUC 8597, subscription required)

2005 September 08

S. F. Hönig reports in a paper accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics about the successful linkage of two SOHO comets. C/1999 R1 and C/2003 R5 seem to be identical. The orbital period is almost exactly 4 years. Both comets were assumed to be members of a further possible comet group together with comet C/2002 R5 (SOHO). In the paper it is shown that the latter comet might have been separated from the main component at the end of the 19^th century and thus strengthens the presented link. The return of C/2002 R5 is predicted for summer 2006 (assuming a comparable orbital period as the main component), while the return of C/1999 R1 = C/2003 R5 will occur on Sep. 11, 2007. The chances for detecting the main component are higher because it is brighter than the fragment. The paper is available as a pre-print.

2005 September 06

New Discovery!: K. J. Lawrence reports the discovery of a new comet on Sep. 02, 2005, in the course of the NEAT survey. This was confirmed by J. Young (Table Mountain). The preliminary orbit for the 18^m comet P/2005 R1 (NEAT) shows the perihelion on Oct. 08, 2005, at about 2.1 AU. The period is about 14.0 years. This is the 51^st comet discovery by NEAT. (IAUC 8595, subscription required, MPEC 2005-R25)
New Discovery!: An apparently asteroidal object discovered on Aug. 31, by the LINEAR survey has been found to be cometary after posting on the NEO Confirmation Page by J. Lacruz (Madrid) and J. Young (Table Mountain). The 18^m comet P/2005 Q4 (LINEAR) will pass perihelion according to the preliminary orbit on Sep. 28, 2005, at about 1.7 AU. The orbital period is about 7.6 years. This is LINEARs 160^th comet discovery. (IAUC 8595, subscription required, MPEC 2005-R24)

2005 September 04

Further SOHO comets: C/2005 Q2 (SOHO) (T. Hoffman) is the 60th member of the Meyer group. C/2005 Q3 (SOHO) is not a member of a known comet group. Official SOHO comets: 1003. (IAUC 8592, subscription required, MPEC 2005-R06)