THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 158 1988 May 20 19.29UT.
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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COMETS(1988e)AND(1988g)
Rob McNaught e-mails:
The association between these two comets (IAUC4600) argues strongly
for a split from a single comet. The orbital period of 1988e
(if elliptical) is >1300 years. Such a long period makes such a
small separation (76 days) difficult to interpret in terms of
splitting at the previous perihelion, unless the period is close to
1300 years (e=0.99). However, the fragment may have been
gravitationally bound to the main object, lessening the
separation. There is a distinct possibility that other fragments
exist, and searches along the orbit may be appropriate for years to
come. The most likely time to find other fragments is now, and the
following ephemerides are given for fragments passing perihelion on
the dates at the top of each column. The perihelion distance and
angular elements used are those of 1988e from MPC 13041. A
fragment of similar characteristics to 1988e or 1988g, and passing
perihelion in mid-June, could become a naked-eye object in
early-July during a close approach to the Earth.
Jan 01 Feb 01 Mar 01 Mar 15 Apr 01 Apr 15
0h UT h m d h m d h m d h m d h m d h m d
May 20 2226+38.9 2221+32.1 2219+22.6 2221+16.3 2227+05.9 2239-05.7
May 25 2228+41.3 2222+35.0 2219+26.3 2220+20.4 2225+10.8 2235-00.3
May 30 2229+43.7 2222+37.9 2219+29.9 2219+24.5 2223+15.6 2231+05.3
Jun 04 2229+45.9 2222+40.6 2218+33.3 2217+28.4 2219+20.4 2226+10.8
Jun 09 2229+48.1 2221+43.8 2215+36.7 2214+32.3 2215+25.0 2219+16.4
Jun 14 2227+50.2 2219+45.8 2212+39.8 2210+35.9 2209+29.4 2211+21.7
Jun 19 2225+52.2 2215+48.2 2207+42.8 2204+39.3 2201+33.6 2201+26.9
Jun 24 2222+54.1 2211+50.4 2201+45.6 2157+42.5 2152+37.4 2150+31.6
Jun 29 2217+55.9 2205+52.5 2154+48.1 2148+45.3 2142+40.9 2137+35.8
Jul 04 2212+57.5 2159+54.4 2145+50.4 2138+47.9 2130+44.0 2122+39.5
Jul 09 2205+59.0 2150+56.1 2135+52.4 2127+50.1 2117+46.6 2107+42.6
Jul 14 2157+60.3 2141+57.6 2124+54.1 2115+52.0 2102+48.7 2050+45.1
Jul 19 2148+61.4 2131+58.8 2112+55.5 2102+53.5 2047+50.4 2033+47.0
Jul 24 2138+62.3 2120+59.8 2059+56.6 2048+54.6 2032+51.6 2017+48.3
Jul 29 2128+63.1 2108+60.6 2046+57.4 2034+55.4 2017+52.4 2001+49.2
May 01 May 15 Jun 01 Jun 15 Jul 01 Jul 15
0h UT h m d h m d h m d h m d h m d h m d
May 20 2307-23.3 0001-41.0 0210-56.0 0414-56.6 0539-50.1 0616-43.7
May 25 2301-17.9 2349-37.0 0156-55.3 0411-57.2 0544-50.7 0623-44.2
May 30 2253-12.0 2336-32.4 0139-54.5 0407-58.2 0550-51.6 0630-44.8
Jun 04 2244-05.6 2321-26.9 0119-53.6 0403-59.6 0558-52.8 0640-45.5
Jun 09 2233+01.1 2304-20.4 0052-52.1 0356-61.6 0608-54.3 0651-46.5
Jun 14 2221+07.9 2244-12.8 0018-49.9 0346-64.3 0621-56.2 0704-47.7
Jun 19 2206+14.7 2222-04.5 2335-46.1 0327-68.0 0639-58.5 0721-49.1
Jun 24 2150+21.1 2158+04.3 2243-39.5 0246-73.1 0706-61.4 0741-50.7
Jun 29 2133+26.9 2132+12.8 2147-29.0 0042-78.6 0747-64.6 0807-52.4
Jul 04 2113+32.0 2105+20.4 2053-15.3 2025-75.4 0854-67.7 0841-54.0
Jul 09 2053+36.1 2038+26.4 2006-01.6 1833-58.3 1038-68.6 0925-55.4
Jul 14 2033+39.3 2013+31.0 1930+09.0 1755-36.5 1237-64.5 1019-55.8
Jul 19 2014+41.6 1950+34.2 1902+16.3 1739-17.9 1405-54.6 1122-54.5
Jul 24 1955+43.2 1930+36.3 1842+21.1 1731-05.0 1459-41.9 1227-51.0
Jul 29 1939+44.1 1913+37.6 1827+24.1 1727+03.4 1533-29.5 1325-45.2
Aug 01 Sep 01
0h UT h m d h m d
May 20 0640-37.0 0700-27.6
May 25 0647-37.3 0705-27.8
May 30 0654-37.6 0712-28.0
Jun 04 0703-38.2 0719-28.4
Jun 09 0713-38.8 0726-28.8
Jun 14 0724-39.6 0735-29.3
Jun 19 0737-40.6 0745-30.0
Jun 24 0753-41.7 0755-30.8
Jun 29 0811-42.9 0807-31.7
Jul 04 0832-44.1 0820-32.6
Jul 09 0857-45.4 0835-33.7
Jul 14 0927-46.5 0851-34.9
Jul 19 1003-47.3 0909-36.2
Jul 24 1043-47.5 0929-37.4
Jul 29 1128-46.8 0952-38.7
OCCULTATION 1988 MAY 25
John Larard draws attention to a predicted occultation of
AGK3 +16 2270, 8.1mv by Pallas on 1988 May 25.75UT. This is
apparently a possible daylight graze event according to the
Astronomical Journal 86(6) June 1981 p904.
Does anyone have any further information on this event?
Guy M Hurst