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IAUC 4954: 1990a

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                                                  Circular No. 4954
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 WILD (1990a)
     Further precise positions have been reported as follows:

     1990 UT             R.A. (1950) Decl.        m1    Observer
     Jan. 21.68750    9 34 42.81   +20 38 31.6   14.0   Niijima
          21.71806    9 34 41.53   +20 38 39.9            "
          25.46128    9 32 10.75   +20 52 56.4   14.0   Helin
          25.48073    9 32 09.82   +20 52 58.8            "

T. Niijima and T. Urata (Ojima, Japan).  0.16-m hyperboloid astrocamera.
   Measurer Urata.  Prediscovery observations communicated by H. Kosai.
E. Helin, B. Roman and K. Lawrence (Palomar).  Measurer J. Alu.

     The following parabolic orbital elements satisfy the above
observations very closely, but it is likely that the comet is of
short period:

     T = 1990 July 16.08 ET           Peri. = 212.03
                                      Node  =   9.40    1950.0
     q = 1.3972 AU                    Incl. =   4.61

     1990 ET      R.A. (1950) Decl.     Delta      r       m1
     Jan.  9     9 40.66    +19 57.5    1.994    2.867    14.6
          14     9 38.80    +20 12.1
          19     9 36.31    +20 28.8    1.829    2.764    14.2
          24     9 33.20    +20 47.3
          29     9 29.51    +21 06.9    1.689    2.661    13.9
     Feb.  3     9 25.31    +21 27.1
           8     9 20.69    +21 46.9    1.576    2.559    13.6
          13     9 15.77    +22 05.7
          18     9 10.68    +22 22.6    1.492    2.456    13.3

     S. M. Larson and D. H. Levy, University of Arizona, report that
300-850-nm CCD spectra obtained on Jan. 25.32 UT with the Catalina
1.5-m reflector show a strong continuum but no cometary emissions.  Broad
red-band images show a broad, well-defined tail extending off the
CCD frame 4' from the central condensation.

     Total visual magnitude estimates: Jan. 24.54 UT, 13.5 (A. Pearce,
Scarborough, Western Australia, 0.32-m reflector); 25.26, 12.8 (A. Hale,
Las Cruces, NM, 0.41-m reflector).


1990 January 25                (4954)              Brian G. Marsden

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