Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
IAUC 3860: 1983o
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Read IAUC 3861
Circular No. 3860
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 IRAS (1983o)
On July 28 J. Davies and S. F. Green, University of Leicester
and Rutherford-Appleton Laboratory, tentatively reported that the
IRAS satellite had detected a possible comet on three passes the
previous day, the estimated visual magnitude being 18. On Sept. 2
Davies reported another possible IRAS cometary detection, estimated
visual magnitude 16-17, and from the position and infrared
colors he suggested identity with the July object. A rough orbital
computation by C. M. Bardwell, Center for Astrophysics, tended
to support this hypothesis, and further attempts were made to
obtain optical confirmation. Bad weather prevented immediate optical
observations at Mount John University Observatory, but the object
seems to have been confirmed as a result of accurate positions
measured by P. M. Kilmartin from a pair of exposures there
by A. C. Gilmore. The seeing was too bad to establish whether the
object was cometary or asteroidal, but the retrograde nature of
the orbit strongly suggests the former. Positions follow:
1983 UT R.A. (1950.0) Decl. m2 Observer
July 27.51886 10 54.75 -67 22.9 IRAS
27.59025 10 55.04 -67 20.4 "
27.66773 10 55.44 -67 18.5 "
Sept. 1.44469 12 34.33 -50 42.6 "
1.51628 12 34.41 -50 40.5 "
11.35012 12 51 32.09 -47 14 13.1 16 Gilmore
11.38067 12 51 35.17 -47 13 38.3 "
Improved parabolic orbital elements by the undersigned:
T = 1983 Nov. 28.270 ET Peri. = 334.125
Node = 200.601 1950.0
q = 2.25312 AU Incl. = 120.723
1983 ET R.A. (1950.0) Decl. p r m2
Sept.13 12 54.22 -46 42.5 2.846 2.415 16.1
18 13 02.04 -45 10.9
23 13 09.49 -43 45.9 2.943 2.377 16.1
28 13 16.60 -42 26.9
Oct. 3 13 23.43 -41 13.4 3.028 2.343 16.1
8 13 30.00 -40 05.0
13 13 36.33 -39 00.9 3.095 2.314 16.1
1983 September 14 (3860) Brian G. Marsden
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