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IAUC 5620: 1737 II = 1862 III = 1992t

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                                                  Circular No. 5620
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@CFA or GREEN@CFA (.SPAN, .BITNET or .HARVARD.EDU)


PERIODIC COMET SWIFT-TUTTLE (1737 II = 1862 III = 1992t)
     A message from H. Kosai, National Astronomical Observatory,
Tokyo, reports the discovery of a comet by Tsuruhiko Kiuchi, with the
suggestion that it might be P/Swift-Tuttle with perihelion time in
mid-December.  Confirmation of the discovery by several observers in
Canada, the U.S. and Japan leaves no doubt that this identification
with the Perseid parent comet is correct.  The identification in turn
confirms the suggestion (Lynn 1902, Obs. 25, 304; Marsden 1973, A.J.
78, 662; see also IAUC 5330 and 5586) that Kegler's 1737 observations
were indeed of P/Swift-Tuttle.

     1992 UT             R.A. (2000) Decl.        m1    Observer
     Sept.26.75694   11 47.5       +59 00        11.5   Kiuchi
          27.22465   11 50 34.71   +59 04 35.3          Tatum
          27.41424   11 51 45.90   +59 05 26.6   12.5   Sugie
          27.42326   11 51 49.22   +59 05 33.1            "
          27.43368   11 51 53.49   +59 05 34.1            "
          27.44792   11 51 58.70   +59 05 37.0          Tatum
          27.49897   11 52.23      +59 05 5             Scotti

T. Kiuchi (Usuda, Nagano).  25 x 150 binoculars.  Comet diffuse
   without condensation, diameter 4'.
J. B. Tatum (University of Victoria).  0.25-m Schmidt.
A. Sugie (Dynic Astronomical Observatory).  0.25-m f/3.4 Schmidt.
   Strong condensation.  Communicated by S. Nakano.
J. V. Scotti (Kitt Peak).  0.91-m Spacewatch telescope.  Wellconndensed
   nucleus, fan-shaped coma > 3'.4 wide, tail to southwest.

     Precise linkage of the observations, even at two apparitions, is
not possible without the involvement of large nongravitational
forces.   The following orbital elements, by the undersigned, are a
compromise that fit the current observations exactly but leave large
discordances in 1862:

                    Epoch = 1992 Dec.  4.0 TT
     T = 1992 Dec. 12.391 TT          Peri. = 152.979
     e = 0.96362                      Node  = 139.430   2000.0
     q = 0.95876 AU                   Incl. = 113.408
       a = 26.35441 AU     n = 0.007285     P = 135.29 years


1992 September 27              (5620)              Brian G. Marsden

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