TA e-circular

<title>TA e-circular</title>
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THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 575       1991 Oct 27 10.20UT
Ed:Guy M Hurst, 16,Westminster Close, Kempshott Rise,  Basingstoke,
Hants, RG22 4PP, England. Telephone:  (0256)471074 Int:+44256471074
Telex: 9312111261 Answerback: TA G                     JANET BOXES:
GMH at UK.AC.CAM.ASTRONOMY.STARLINK or GUYH at UK.AC.SUSSEX.CLUSTER
TELECOM GOLD: 10074:MIK2885                       PRESTEL 256471074
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GEORGE ALCOCK
George Alcock advises us that his wife passed away yesterday
morning after a lengthy illness. We send our sincere sympathy on
his loss. He will, understandably, be unable to make the trip to
the forthcoming AGM and Denis Buczynski has kindly agreed to
give the talk on the discovery of Nova Herculis 1991.

PERIODIC COMET McNAUGHT-HUGHES (1991y)
Improved orbital elements from 8 observations, Sept. 30-Oct. 12:
     T = 1991 June 16.320 ET          Peri. = 224.450
     e = 0.40190                      Node  =  89.333   1950.0
     q = 2.12527 AU                   Incl. =   7.299
       a =  3.55335 AU     n = 0.147145     P =   6.70 years
IAUC 5374
The comet is fading below magnitude 17.

COMET HELIN-ALU (199r)
Improved orbital elements:
T  1992 Feb  20.0741 E.T.    w  30.81330 )
e  1.00000000                O 252.95250 ) 1950.0
q  4.8500690 A.U.            i  49.31340 )
Source: MPC 18773    Positions are geocentric
IAUC 5374
The comet is currently at approx mag 15.5 and solar elongation
will remain small rendering it difficult to observe.

P/COMET LEVY (1991q)
Ephemeris for 1991q  P/Levy
T  1991 July  8.1927 E.T.    w  41.47720 )
e  0.92881400                O 328.72240 ) 1950.0
q  0.9825150 A.U.            i  19.18450 )
Source: MPC 18773    Positions are geocentric
Ephemeris by Hurst using a program by N.James:

m =  7.5 + 5.0 log R + 10.0 log r

  Date    R.A. (1950) Dec.     R       r     Elong  Mag.    Motion
          h  m       o  '     (AU)    (AU)     o          "/hr P.A.
1991 Oct
  31.00   9 30.64  +29 48.6   1.893   2.002   81.4  11.9    29  107
1991 Nov
   5.00   9 34.45  +29 33.7   1.887   2.060   85.4  12.0    23  106
  10.00   9 37.40  +29 22.6   1.879   2.117   89.6  12.1    17  106
  15.00   9 39.46  +29 15.4   1.870   2.175   94.0  12.2    11  104
  20.00   9 40.63  +29 12.0   1.860   2.232   98.6  12.3     5   99
  25.00   9 40.89  +29 12.4   1.849   2.289  103.4  12.4     2  311
  30.00   9 40.23  +29 16.3   1.839   2.346  108.5  12.5     8  291
1991 Dec
   5.00   9 38.63  +29 23.5   1.831   2.403  113.7  12.6    14  288
  10.00   9 36.09  +29 33.3   1.824   2.459  119.2  12.7    20  286
  15.00   9 32.64  +29 45.2   1.820   2.515  124.8  12.8    26  284
  20.00   9 28.33  +29 58.4   1.820   2.571  130.6  12.9    31  282
  25.00   9 23.22  +30 12.1   1.825   2.627  136.5  13.0    36  281
  30.00   9 17.41  +30 25.3   1.834   2.682  142.5  13.1    40  279
1992 Jan
   4.00   9 11.01  +30 37.3   1.850   2.737  148.5  13.2    43  277
   9.00   9  4.17  +30 47.0   1.873   2.791  154.3  13.3    45  275

Guy M Hurst
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