Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
IAUC 2234: 1969i
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Circular No. 2234
Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION
Postal Address: Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A.
Cable Address: SATELLITES, NEWYORK
Western Union: RAPID SATELLITE CAMBMASS
COMET BENNETT (1969i)
B. Milet, Nice Observatory, provides the following positions:
1970 UT R. A. (1950) Decl.
Apr. 9.11950 22 49 42.43 +37 55 05.1
9.12022 22 49 42.77 +37 55 09.7
9.12094 22 49 42.80 +37 55 15.9
9.12166 22 49 43.00 +37 55 19.3
9.12231 22 49 43.23 +37 55 23.2
9.12328 22 49 43.25 +37 55 30.5
9.13435 22 49 47.01 +37 56 35.7
9.15721 22 49 52.08 +37 59 16.0
10.12298 22 53 55.91 439 42 02.5
10.12373 22 53 56.22 +39 42 07.3
10.12444 22 53 56.40 +39 42 11.6
10.12516 22 53 56.63 +39 42 15.3
10.12626 22 53 56.93 +39 42 21.5
10.12748 22 53 57.33 +39 42 29.0
10.14418 22 54 01.41 +39 44 04.5
On Apr. 10 the central condensation was 1".9 across (visual
micrometric measurement with the 50-cm equatorial); tail > 11o.
The following improved elements, by the undersigned, are from
153 observations 1969 Dec. 30 to 1970 Apr. 10, perturbations by all
nine planets having been taken into account.
Epoch = 1970 Apr. 4.0 ET
T = 1970 Mar. 20.04586 ET Peri. = 354.15532
e = 0.9962715 Node = 223.96121 1950.0
q = 0.5376179 AU Incl. = 90.04504
1970 ET R. A. (1950) Decl. Delta r Mag.
May 4 0 46.38 +61 09.4 1.437 1.102 6.2
9 1 08.89 +62 59.4
14 1 30.24 +64 26.1 1.661 1.267 7.1
19 1 50.37 +65 36.2
24 2 09.26 +66 34.5 1.866 1.429 7.9
29 2 26.95 +67 24.5
June 3 2 43.50 +68 08.7 2.049 1.587 8.6
8 2 58.95 +68 49.1
13 3 13.37 +69 26.9 2.209 1.742 9.1
18 3 26.8 +70 03.3
23 3 39.3 +70 39.2 2.348 1.893 9.6
28 3 50.9 +71 15.1
July 3 4 01.6 +71 51.7 2.465 2.040 10.1
8 4 11.4 +72 29.3
13 4 20.3 +73 08.4 2.562 2.184 10.4
18 4 28.2 +73 49.2
23 4 35.0 +74 31.8 2.641 2.324 10.8
28 4 40.6 +75 16.5
Aug 2 4 44.9 +76 03.4 2.702 2.462 11.1
7 4 47.5 +76 52.4
12 4 48.2 +77 43.3 2.750 2.597 11.3
17 4 46.4 +78 35.8
22 4 41.4 +79 29.2 2.786 2.730 11.6
27 4 32.4 +80 22.5
Sept. 1 4 18.1 +81 14.0 2.815 2.860 11.8
6 3 57.0 +82 01.0
11 3 27.8 +82 39.6 2.841 2.987 12.0
16 2 50.2 +83 04.6
21 2 06.5 +83 10.8 2.868 3.113 12.2
Mr. Z. M. Pereyra, Cordoba Observatory, communicates the following
visual estimates by F. W. Gerber, Lucas Gonza1ez, obtained
with 12 x 60 binoculars and including allowance for zenith
distance.
1970 UT Mag. Tail
Mar. 13.40 1.0 7o
19.4 0.5 11
22.4 0.0 12
Mr. J. E. Bortle, Mount Vernon, New York, provides the following
naked-eye estimates of total magnitude:
1970 UT Mag. 1970 UT Mag. 1970 UT Mag.
Mar. 28.4 0.5 Apr. 5.4 1.4 Apr. 11.3 1.9
Apr. 1.4 0.8 6.4 1.4 13.3 2.4
4.4 1.2 8.4 1.9
The central condensation is generaly 1.1 magnitude fainter. He
remarks that spiral jets are sometimes visible with up to five arms
present; they appear to be sweeping from north to south on the east
side of the nucleus. Occasionally the entire head seems to be
surrounded by a nebulous glow. During the first week of April he
noted both visually and photographically (using the 56-cm Maksutov
camera at Stamford, Connecticut) hoods similar to those observed in
comet 1858 VI. Photographically, the "shadow of the nucleus" was
usually very pronounced. On Apr. 5 and 6 a type I tail was visible,
extending up to 12o. A week later the main tail was at least 20o
long. He suggests that observers watch carefully for an anti-tail
when the earth passes through the comet's orbit plane in early May.
1970 April 17 (2234) Brian G. Marsden
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