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IAUC 3569: 1980u; 1980t

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IAUC number 

                                                  Circular No. 3569
Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION
Postal Address: Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A.
TWX 710-320-6842 ASTROGRAM CAM     Telephone 617-864-5758


COMET PANTHER (1980u)
     The following precise positions have been reported:

     1980/81 UT          R. A. (1950) Decl.        m1    Observer
     Dec. 27.77116    18 47 55.88   +39 22 36.3    9.5   Rutter
     Jan.  8.22194    18 54 10.61   +42 44 30.3          Milet

G. H. Rutter (Woolston Obs.).  Well-condensed inner coma 20" diameter,
   outer coma 50" diameter, diffuse tail 7' long in p.a. 25o.
   Measured by R. L. Waterfield.
B. Milet (Nice Obs.).  Well-condensed, with a tail 15' long.

     The following improved parabolic orbital elements, by the
undersigned, satisfy the 12 available observations to within 2":

       T = 1981 Jan. 26.8961 ET  Peri. = 105.1552
                                 Node  = 331.3119   1950.0
       q = 1.664631 AU           Incl. =  82.7360

     1981 ET     R. A. (1950) Decl.     Delta     r      m1
     Jan. 26    19 05.92    +50 36:1    1.680   1.665    8.8
          31    19 09.65    +53 30.8
     Feb.  5    19 13.57    +56 47.0    1.586   1.669    8.7
          10    19 17.71    +60 25.9
          15    19 22.10    +64 28.3    1.500   1.684    8.6
          20    19 26.88    +68 54.3
          25    19 32.3     +73 42.8    1.434   1.709    8.6
     Mar.  2    19 39.4     +78 51.6
           7    19 52.3     +84 16.7    1.403   1.744    8.7


COMET BRADFIELD (1980t)
     Visual observations by S. O'Meara, Cambridge, MA, and by J.
Bortle, Stormville, NY, suggest that the comet has split.  A
secondary nucleus, essentially along the tail spine (p.a. ~ 40o), was
reported by O'Meara to be some 2".5 from the primary nucleus on Jan.
19.96, 20.95 and 21.95 UT, and the same feature was independently
reported by Bortle on Jan. 21.98 UT.  Other possible condensations
mentioned by both observers include one to the northwest and
another to the southeast of the primary nucleus.


1981 January 26                (3569)              Daniel W. E. Green

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