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IAUC 4714: 1989b

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IAUC number 

                                                  Circular No. 4714
Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION
Postal Address: Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A.
Telephone 617-495-7244/7440/7444 (for emergency use only)
TWX 710-320-6842 ASTROGRAM CAM     EASYLINK 62794505
MARSDEN or GREEN@CFA.BITNET    MARSDEN or GREEN@CFAPS2.SPAN


COMET HELIN-ROMAN-CROCKETT (1989b)
     Further precise positions have been reported as follows:

     1989 UT             R.A. (1950) Decl.        m1    Observer
     Jan.  2.43247    8 37 30.21   +21 20 00.7   15.5   Helin
           7.37986    8 34 35.95   +21 36 39.0            "
           8.64236    8 33 48.2    +21 40 54     15.5   Seki
           9.62014    8 33 10.92   +21 44 18.8   15.0   Endate
           9.63889    8 33 10.31   +21 44 23.7            "
          11.22175    8 32 08.33   +21 49 51.3          Shao

E. Helin, R. Helin, B. Roman and R. Crockett (Palomar).  0.46-m Schmidt.
T. Seki (Geisei).  0.6-m reflector.  Communicated by T. Kobayashi.
K. Endate (Kitami).  0.2-m reflector.  Measurer K. Watanabe.
C.-Y. Shao (Oak Ridge Observatory).  1.5-m reflector.  Poor sky.

     A visual estimate by D. Levy with the 1.5-m reflector at the
Lunar and Planetary Laboratory's Catalina Station on Jan. 10.40 UT
gave m1 = 14.7.  There was a 4' tail in p.a. 270 deg.

     As suggested on IAUC 4704, it seems rather likely that this is a
short-period comet, although further observations are required before
one can be absolutely certain.  The following representative low-e
orbital elements, from eight observations Jan. 2-11, yield a close
approach to Jupiter in 1983:

     T = 1988 June 30.40 ET           Peri. = 357.53
     e = 0.1439                       Node  =  92.24    1950.0
     q = 3.4797 AU                    Incl. =   4.36
       a =  4.0648 AU      n = 0.12027      P =   8.20 years

     1989 ET      R.A. (1950) Decl.     Delta      r       m1
     Jan. 14     8 30.27    +21 59.5    2.577    3.546    14.6
          24     8 23.19    +22 33.2
     Feb.  3     8 16.10    +23 03.4    2.592    3.560    14.6
          13     8 09.71    +23 27.8
          23     8 04.67    +23 45.0    2.723    3.574    14.7
     Mar.  5     8 01.39    +23 54.8
          15     8 00.10    +23 57.4    2.946    3.590    14.9
          25     8 00.85    +23 53.2
     Apr.  4     8 03.54    +23 43.0    3.226    3.607    15.1


1989 January 13                (4714)              Brian G. Marsden

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