Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
IAUC 6456: P/1996 N2
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Circular No. 6456
Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION
Postal Address: Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A.
IAUSUBS@CFA.HARVARD.EDU or FAX 617-495-7231 (subscriptions)
BMARSDEN@CFA.HARVARD.EDU or DGREEN@CFA.HARVARD.EDU (science)
Phone 617-495-7244/7440/7444 (for emergency use only)
COMET P/1996 N2 (ELST-PIZARRO)
On Aug. 7 Eric W. Elst, Royal Observatory, Uccle, reported his
discovery of a possible comet on mid-July exposures by Guido Pizarro
with the 1.0-m Schmidt at the European Southern Observatory. Further
ESO Schmidt plates were then obtained, and on Aug. 19, with the help
of orbit computations by the undersigned, Elst was able to identify
the object on them. The continued presence of a tail seemingly
confirms the object as a "comet", even though the orbit is completely
that of a main-belt minor planet with the implied long-term stability.
1996 UT R.A. (2000) Decl. m1 Observer
July 14.27639 22 00 05.53 -11 16 51.5 18.3 Pizarro
14.30278 22 00 04.85 -11 16 55.5 "
16.29514 21 59 21.38 -11 21 23.5 "
16.32153 21 59 20.61 -11 21 28.3 "
Aug. 8.27986 21 45 48.76 -12 42 18.0 "
8.30625 21 45 47.50 -12 42 24.7 "
8.97986 21 45 18.07 -12 45 23.6 Pollas
8.99028 21 45 17.57 -12 45 25.3 "
9.23889 21 45 06.50 -12 46 25.9 18.0 Pizarro
9.26528 21 45 05.20 -12 46 32.7 "
17.95139 21 38 33.54 -13 24 40.5 Pollas
17.97222 21 38 32.60 -13 24 43.2 "
20.0271 21 37 00.3 -13 33 39 Elst
20.89057 21 36 22.30 -13 37 19.7 17.1 Ticha
21.03161 21 36 15.85 -13 37 55.6 "
21.26023 21 36 05.96 -13 38 53.1 18.2 Offutt
21.28061 21 36 04.98 -13 38 58.7 18.5 "
G. and O. Pizarro (European Southern Observatory). 1.0-m Schmidt. Measurer
E. W. Elst. Narrow tail more than 1' long in southwestern quadrant.
C. Pollas (Caussols). 0.9-m Schmidt. Measurer E. W. Elst.
E. W. Elst (Uccle). 0.8-m Schmidt + CCD. Tail in p.a. 250 deg.
J. Ticha, M. Tichy and Z. Moravec (Klet). 0.57-m f/5.2 reflector + CCD.
Tail > 3' long to west-southwest. No evident coma.
W. Offutt (Cloudcroft). 0.6-m f/7 Ritchey-Chretien + CCD. Bright,
sharply-defined, structureless tail > 3'.9 long (off edge of field)
in p.a. 251 deg. Head completely stellar, no discernible coma.
(C) Copyright 1996 CBAT
1996 August 21 (6456) Brian G. Marsden
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