Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
IAUC 3718: Prob. SUNGRAZING COMET
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Circular No. 3718
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
PROBABLE SUNGRAZING COMET
D. J. Michels, Naval Research Laboratory. reports that continued
analysis of the P78-l SOLWIND data has revealed a second sungrazing
comet (cf. IAUC 3640, 3647). The 15 observations below
were obtained as the comet approached the sun on 1981 Jan. 26-27.
The discovery team Includes N. Sheeley, 0. Roberts and F. Harlow.
Calculations at N.R.L. Indicate that the observations are consistent
with a Kreutz-type orbit and that the comet possibly hit
the sun. The object brightened from ~ mag 0.0 at 8 solar radii to
mag -2.5 or brighter at 3 solar radii, apparently with a fading to
mag +1.0 near 5.5 solar radii. Contrary to the situation with the
earlier object (comet 1979 XI), there was this time no evidence of
residue from the comet after its presumed perihelion passage.
1981 UT rho theta R. A. (1950) Decl.
Jan. 26.860 8.07 118.0 20 43.40 -19 21.3
26.867 7.87 117.8 20 43.22 -19 19.8
26.874 7.83 117.6 20 43.22 -19 19.1
26.881 7.63 117.1 20 43.10 -19 16.9
26.888 7.30 116.8 20 42.74 -19 14.7
26.927 6.12 115.6 20 41.72 -19 06.4
26.934 5.97 115.3 20 41.66 -19 05.1
26.941 5.93 114.8 20 41.66 -19 04.1
26.947 5.67 114.0 20 41.42 -19 01.7
26.954 5.41 113.7 20 41.18 -19 00.0
26.994 4.01 109.7 20 39.92 -18 49.6
27.001 3.71 109.4 20 39.62 -18 48.4
27.008 3.66 109.0 20 39.62 -18 47.7
27.014 3.40 107.9 20 39.38 -18 45.9
27.021 3,05 105.6 20 39.02 -18 43.1
The heliocentric separations rho are given in units of the instantaneous
solar radius, and the position angle theta is measured counterclockwise
from the sun's north pole.
The followIng parabolic orbital elements, derived by the undersigned
on the assumption that the comet's perihelion direction
agrees with the Kreutz group, satisfy the observations within 2'.5:
T = 1981 Jan. 27.076 ET Peri. = 71.982
Node = 349.967 1950.0
q = 0.00488 AU (= 1.05 Rs) Incl. = 142.738
1982 July 30 (3718) Brian G. Marsden
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