Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
IAUC 4615: 1988e, 1988g; 1988a
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Read IAUC 4616
Circular No. 4615
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
MARSDEN or GREEN@CFA.BITNET MARSDEN or GREEN@CFAPS2.SPAN
COMETS LEVY (1988e) AND SHOEMAKER-HOLT (1988g)
The general orbit solutions by the undersigned on MPC 13304 give
osculating (at the standard epochs near perihelion) 1/a = +0.00183 +/-
0.00022 AU**-1 for comet 1988e, 1/a = +0.00258 +/- 0.00137 AU**-1 for
comet 1988g, and even closer agreement in the other elements than was
indicated on IAUC 4600. Computations in which the two comets were
forced to have identical 'original' barycentric orbits (except for T)
yield osculating values of +0.00148 and +0.00146 AU**-1, respectively
(the 'original' 1/a being +0.00134 AU**-1). Further astrometric
observations of both comets are needed if the circumstances of
splitting are to be examined in complete detail. The current
ephemeris of comet 1988e is on IAUC 4583; that for comet 1988g
continues as follows:
1988 ET R.A. (1950) Decl. Delta r m1
June 8 22 18.56 +40 03.6 1.922 2.070 11.1
18 22 12.42 +45 31.7
28 22 01.52 +50 18.8 2.014 2.293 11.6
July 8 21 45.50 +54 15.6
18 21 24.71 +57 13.3 2.148 2.517 12.2
28 21 00.64 +59 06.5
Aug. 7 20 35.89 +59 55.7 2.323 2.740 12.7
17 20 13.31 +59 48.1
27 19 55.06 +58 56.5 2.536 2.960 13.2
Sept. 6 19 42.04 +57 34.9
16 19 34.20 +55 56.1 2.783 3.178 13.7
26 19 30.95 +54 10.4
Oct. 6 19 31.52 +52 25.4 3.059 3.392 14.2
COMET LILLER (1988a)
Total visual magnitude estimates: June 1.90 UT, 6.7 (M. V.
Zanotta, Milan, Italy, 20 x 80 binoculars; 0.5-deg tail in p.a. 85
deg); 3.20, 7.4 (A. Hale, Las Cruces, NM, 10 x 50 binoculars); 5.54,
7.3 (Y. Sugiyama, Hiratsuka, Japan, 0.16-m reflector); 6.96, 8.2
(J. D. Shanklin, Cambridge, England, 20 x 80 binoculars; tail 0.4 deg
in p.a. 65 deg); 8.21, 7.6 (D. W. E. Green, Lake Yellowstone, WY);
10.23, 7.7 (E. A. Jacobson, Evansville, MN, 10 x 50 binoculars);
12.13, 7.2 (G. R. Chester, Rixeyville, VA, 0.2-m reflector; tail 45'
in p.a. 100 deg); 13.97, 8.8 (Shanklin).
1988 June 22 (4615) Brian G. Marsden
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