News - August 2008

2008 August 29

New Discovery!: On August 27, M. Ory discovered an apparently stellar object on images taken with a 61-cm reflector and CCD at Jura Observatory (Switzerland). After posting the 17.5^m object on the NEO Confirmation Page A. Knöfel (Schönbrunn), L. Buzzi (Varese), R. Holmes (Charleston) and A. C. Gilmore and P. M. Kilmartin (Mt. John) were then able to confirm the cometary nature. The first and preliminary orbit for comet P/2008 Q2 (Ory) indicates perihelion on Oct. 23, 2008, at about 1.4 AU. The period is about 6.0 years. This is the fourth amateur comet discovery in 2008. (IAUC 8967, subscription required, MPEC 2008-Q51)
New Discovery!: G. J. Garradd reports his discovery of a new comet on Aug. 27, 2008, in the course of the Siding Spring Survey. After posting on the NEO Confirmation Page A. C. Gilmore and P. M. Kilmartin (Mt. John) were able to confirm the cometary nature of the 19^m object. The first and preliminary orbit for comet C/2008 Q3 (Garradd) indicates perihelion on Jul. 01, 2009, at about 2.5 AU. This is the 52^nd comet for the Siding Spring Survey and the 11^th for Garradd. (IAUC 8968, subscription required, MPEC 2008-Q52)

2008 August 21

New Discovery!: On AUgust 18, S. Maticic discovered an apparently stellar object in the course of the Comet and Asteroid Search Program (PIKA) at Crni Vrh Observatory (Slovenia) using a 60-cm Deltagraph and CCD. H. Mikuz observed the object one day later and noted a cometary appearance. After posting the 17.5^m object on the NEO Confirmation Page R. Ligustri (Talmassons), R. Holmes and H. Devore (Charleston), K. Sarneczky (Konkoly), J. M. Aymami (Tiana), V. Gonano, E. Guido, and G. Sostero (Remanzacco), S. Foglia, P. Concari, D. Crespi, G. Galli, O. Lesca, and S. Minuto (Novara Veveri) were then able to confirm the cometary nature. The first and preliminary orbit for comet C/2008 Q1 (Maticic) indicates perihelion on Jan. 02, 2008, at about 2.9 AU. This is the second amateur discovery in 2008. (IAUC 8966, subscription required, MPEC 2008-Q12)

2008 August 09

New Discovery!: G. J. Garradd reports his discovery of a new comet on Aug. 13, 2008, in the course of the Siding Spring Survey. After posting on the NEO Confirmation Page C. Jacques and E. Pimentel (Belo Horizonte) were able to confirm the cometary nature of the 15.5^m object. The first and preliminary orbit for comet C/2008 P1 (Garradd) indicates perihelion on Jul. 02, 2009, at about 3.6 AU. This is the 51^st comet for the Siding Spring Survey and the 10^th for Garradd. (IAUC 8965, subscription required, MPEC 2008-P66)
Further astrometry lead to the identification of the short-period nature of two recently discovered comets: P/2008 O2 (McNaught) has a period of 9.5 years and P/2008 O3 (Boattini) has a period of 27.7 years. (IAUC 8965, subscription required)

Further SOHO comets (all named SOHO):

Designation  Group   Discoverer     Notes
C/2008 N2    Kreutz  B. Zhou
C/2008 N3    Kreutz  R. Kracht
C/2008 N4    Kracht  T. Hoffman     32^nd member of the Kracht group, = C/2002 S7 = C/1996 X3..X5 ??
C/2008 N5    Kreutz  A. Kubczak

Official SOHO comets: 1506 (MPEC 2008-P60)

2008 August 09

Further SOHO comets (all named SOHO):

Designation  Group   Discoverer     Notes
C/2008 M4    Kreutz  M. Kusiak
C/2008 M5    Kreutz  R. Matson
C/2008 M6    Kreutz  T. Hoffman
C/2008 M7    Kreutz  T. Hoffman, H. Su

Official SOHO comets: 1502 (MPEC 2008-P33)

2008 August 02

New Discovery!: A. Boattini reports his discovery of a new comet on July 29, in the course of the Mt. Lemmon Survey. After the object was placed on the NEO Confirmation Page R. Holmes (Charleston) obtained images of the comet, which were measured by S. Foglia and L. Buzzi and confirmed the cometary nature. The first and preliminary orbit for the 18.5^m comet C/2008 O3 (Boattini) indicates perihelion already on Jun. 1, 2008, at about 2.6 AU. This is the 20^th comet for the Mt. Lemmon Survey. (IAUC 8964, subscription required, MPEC 2008-P05)

2008 August 1

New Discovery!: R. H. McNaught reports his discovery of a new comet on Jul. 28, 2008, in the course of the Siding Spring Survey. After posting on the NEO Confirmation Page A. Boattini (Mt. Lemmon), G. Muler (Lanzarate), R. Holmes (Charleston), N. Teamo (Punaauia), P. Birtwhistle (Great Shefford), L. Buzzi (Varese) and J. M. Aymami (Tiana) were able to confirm the cometary nature of the 17.5^m object. The first and preliminary orbit for comet C/2008 O2 (McNaught) indicates perihelion on Nov. 13, 2009, at about 1.3 AU. It is likely that the comet is of short period with q between 3 and 4 AU. This is the 50^th comet for the Siding Spring Survey and the 43^rd for McNaught. (IAUC 8963, subscription required, MPEC 2008-P04)
Further SOHO comets (all named SOHO):
```
Designation  Group   Discoverer     Notes
C/2008 O1    Kreutz  H. Su
```
Official SOHO comets: 1498 (MPEC 2008-P01)
"The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory announces that the 2008 Edgar Wilson Award for the discovery of comets (cf. IAUC 6936, 8854) is being divided among the following two individuals for the discovery of C/2008 C1: Tao Chen (Suzhou City, Jiangsu province, China) and Xing Gao (Urumqi, Xinjiang province, China)."
(IAUC 8962, subscription required)