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IAUC 6477: P/1996 S2

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                                                  Circular No. 6477
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 S2 (SHOEMAKER-HOLT 1)
     J. V. Scotti, University of Arizona, reports his recovery of
comet P/1987 U1 (= 1987z = 1988 VII) with the Spacewatch telescope
at Kitt Peak, as given below.  The indicated correction to the
prediction by S. Nakano on MPC 23484 (ephemeris on MPC 26770) is
Delta(T) = -0.89 day.

     1996 UT             R.A. (2000) Decl.        m1
     Sept.19.19091   22 51 57.47   - 2 30 23.8   20.7
          19.21169   22 51 56.81   - 2 30 29.5   21.1
          19.22904   22 51 56.20   - 2 30 33.9   20.9
          20.19518   22 51 23.97   - 2 34 47.7
          20.21330   22 51 23.39   - 2 34 52.4
          20.23085   22 51 22.72   - 2 34 57.4   20.8
          21.18698   22 50 51.25   - 2 39 07.6
          21.19863   22 50 50.85   - 2 39 10.4   20.8
          21.21013   22 50 50.47   - 2 39 13.4   20.8

     Improved orbital elements by G. V. Williams, Smithsonian
Astrophysical Observatory, from 63 observations, 1987-1996 (mean
residual 0".91):

                    Epoch = 1997 Nov.  8.0 TT
     T = 1997 Nov. 20.2541 TT         Peri. = 210.2130
     e = 0.321273                     Node  = 214.5275  2000.0
     q = 3.047026 AU                  Incl. =   4.3617
       a =  4.489325 AU    n = 0.1036174    P =   9.512 years

1996 TT     R. A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong. Phase    m2
Sept.14    22 54.95   - 2 07.5   2.790   3.787  171.5    2.3   21.4
     24    22 49.37   - 2 51.2   2.798   3.760  160.9    5.0   21.5
Oct.  4    22 44.62   - 3 32.1   2.834   3.733  149.9    7.7   21.7
     14    22 41.13   - 4 07.2   2.895   3.707  139.1   10.1   21.8
     24    22 39.21   - 4 33.9   2.977   3.680  128.6   12.2   21.9
Nov.  3    22 39.01   - 4 50.7   3.075   3.654  118.5   13.8   22.0

A more diffuse secondary condensation, 0.5 mag brighter than the
primary on Sept. 20 UT, is separated by 0'.13 in p.a. 234 deg,
which corresponds to a current adjustment of the above orbit by
Delta(T) approximately +0.01 day.  Coma diameters and m2 (Sept.
21.187) and tail lengths (Sept. 20):  primary, 4", 21.6, 0'.09 in
p.a. 241 deg; secondary, 6", 21.9, 0'.14 in p.a. 246 deg.  The
primary tail appears to bridge the gap between the two nuclei.

                      (C) Copyright 1996 CBAT
1996 September 21              (6477)            Daniel W. E. Green

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