THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 52 1987 Aug 15  18.03UT.
Telecom Gold 72:MAG60138
Ed:Guy M Hurst, 16, Westminster Close, Kempshott Rise, Basingstoke,
Hants, RG22 4PP, England. Telephone:(0256)471074.Int:+44256471074
Telex:265871(MONREF G) Quote"72:MAG60138 ATT G.HURST"in FIRST line.
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Comet Bradfield (1987s)

Rob McNaught, Siding Spring Observatory, e-mails the following
magnitude estimates of this comet:
1987 Aug 12.35, 9.3 (A.C.Gilmore, Mt John Observatory, 0.10-m
refractor, coma dia 5'); 13.51, 9.4 (M.Clark, Perth, 0.32-m refl.
coma dia 3', DC6, possible tail pa 114 deg); 14.40, 9.0 (T.Lovejoy,
Shailer Park, Australia, 0.20-m refl., coma 4', DC4, faint tail
suspected).
He also relays preliminary parabolic elements by D.Herald,
Canberra, Australia which are based on 7 positions over a 2day arc:

T = 1987 Nov.4.76523
Peri=  73.468167 )
Node= 268.647926 ) 1950.0
Incl=  32.868638 )
q   = 0.8521755

Ephemeris by Hurst:
1987 ET  RA(1950)  DEC(1950)  Earth  Sun   Elong  m1

Aug. 15  14 14.83  -22 28.13  1.524  1.645  77.4  9.0
     17  14 17.57  -21 59.16  1.521  1.619  75.9  9.0
     19  14 20.43  -21 30.59  1.518  1.592  74.5  8.9
     21  14 23.42  -21 02.37  1.514  1.566  73.1  8.8
     23  14 26.52  -20 34.48  1.511  1.540  71.7  8.7
     25  14 29.74  -20 06.85  1.506  1.514  70.3  8.6

The above values are uncertain but it appears the comet could
reach magnitude approx 5 in 1987 November when it should be
observable from the northern hemisphere.

TA Index

We welcome the following to our group:

72:MAG70250 P.Schmeer, Germany
74:MIK1483  J.Colls, Norwich(TA Secretary).
72:MAG31361 F.Morganti, Stoke on Trent

Many thanks to Alan Young who kept things moving whilst I was away
in Scandinavia!

Guy M Hurst