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IAUC 4473: 1987b1

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IAUC number 

                                                  Circular No. 4473
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 617-495-7244/7440/7444


COMET McNAUGHT (1987b1)
     Rob H. McNaught, Siding Spring Observatory, reports his
discovery of a comet on photographs exposed on Oct. 18 with an 85-mm
camera lens, as indicated below.  He subsequently identified images
of the comet on several pre-discovery photographs.

    1987 UT           R. A. (1950) Decl.      m1      Observer
    Oct.  9.400      13 30.9      -56 16              McNaught
         10.408      13 37.2      -55 50                 "
         11.423      13 43.3      -55 24                 "
         14.418      14 00.9      -54 01                 "
         17.425      14 17.5      -52 30                 "
         18.423      14 22.5      -51 59       9         "
         20.447      14 33        -50 55      10      Tregaskis

R. H. McNaught (Siding Spring Observatory).  Condensed with coma
   diameter about 2'.  Slight brightening from Oct. 9 to 18.
T. B. Tregaskis (Mt. Elisa, Victoria).  0.15-m reflector; coma
   diameter 4'.  Low altitude.

     The following ephemeris is based on very preliminary parabolic
orbital elements (T = 1987 Dec. 11, Peri. = 16 deg, Node = 260 deg,
i = 97 deg, q = 0.86 AU) from McNaught's approximate positions:

     1987 ET     R. A. (1950) Decl.     Delta      r       m1
     Oct. 20    14 30.61    -51 08.2    1.807    1.272     8.8
          21    14 35.54    -50 35.3
          22    14 40.36    -50 01.9    1.809    1.247     8.7
          23    14 45.06    -49 27.9
          24    14 49.66    -48 53.5    1.812    1.223     8.7
          25    14 54.15    -48 18.6
          26    14 58.53    -47 43.3    1.816    1.199     8.6
          27    15 02.82    -47 07.5
          28    15 07.00    -46 31.4    1.819    1.176     8.5
          29    15 11.09    -45 54.9
          30    15 15.09    -45 18.1    1.823    1.152     8.4
          31    15 19.00    -44 40.9
     Nov.  1    15 22.83    -44 03.5    1.827    1.130     8.3

     Total visual magnitude estimate by T. Lovejoy, Shailer Park,
Queensland (0.20-m reflector; slight tail):  Oct. 20.37 UT, 8.8.


1987 October 20                (4473)            Daniel W. E. Green

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