THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 594        1992 Jan 2 19.16UT
Ed:Guy M Hurst, 16,Westminster Close, Kempshott Rise,  Basingstoke,
Hants, RG22 4PP,England. Telephone/FAX(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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COMET SHOEMAKER-LEVY (1991a1)
Further precise positions have been reported as follows (cf E578):
     1991 UT             R.A. (2000) Decl.        m1    Observer
     Nov.  3.17188    1 53 25.31   +38 35 16.6          McCrosky
           3.18612    1 53 23.54   +38 35 14.6            "
           6.18884    1 47 11.63   +38 27 32.2            "
           6.20258    1 47 09.90   +38 27 29.8            "
           7.30920    1 44 52.26   +38 23 59.4   15.5   Shoemaker
           9.25938    1 40 49.70   +38 17 00.3            "
           9.31806    1 40 42.37   +38 16 47.7            "
     Dec.  1.76250    0 57 20.38   +35 52 07.5          Meyer
           1.80625    0 57 16.10   +35 51 46.0            "
R. E. McCrosky and C.-Y. Shao (Oak Ridge).  1.5-m reflector + CCD.
C. S. Shoemaker, E. M. Shoemaker and D. H. Levy (Palomar).  0.46-m
   Schmidt.  Measurer T. King.
E. Meyer and H. Raab (Linz).  0.3-m f/5.2 Schmidt-Cassegrain.

     Parabolic orbital elements from 26 observations Oct. 6-Dec. 1:

T  1992 July 24.5080 TDT     w 145.22420 )
e  1.00000000                O  49.05060 ) 2000.0
q  0.8365250 A.U.            i 113.50190 )
Source: IAUC 5414    Positions are geocentric

m =  7.5 + 5.0 log R + 10.0 log r

Ephemeris by Hurst using a program by N.James:

  Date    R.A. (2000) Dec.     R       r     Elong  Mag.    Motion
          h  m       o  '     (AU)    (AU)     o          "/hr P.A.
1991 Dec
  30.00   0 22.18  +31 55.1   2.913   3.226   99.6  14.9    31  234
1992 Jan
   4.00   0 18.60  +31 20.1   2.941   3.168   94.1  14.9    27  231
   9.00   0 15.73  +30 49.0   2.970   3.109   88.8  14.8    22  228
  14.00   0 13.53  +30 22.2   2.998   3.050   83.6  14.7    17  225
  19.00   0 11.94  +29 59.9   3.025   2.990   78.6  14.7    13  220
  24.00   0 10.93  +29 42.2   3.050   2.930   73.7  14.6     9  213
  29.00   0 10.42  +29 29.2   3.072   2.870   69.0  14.5     6  198
1992 Feb
   3.00   0 10.40  +29 20.9   3.091   2.809   64.4  14.4     3  157
   8.00   0 10.80  +29 17.4   3.105   2.748   60.0  14.4     4   99
  13.00   0 11.60  +29 18.5   3.115   2.687   55.8  14.3     7   75
  18.00   0 12.74  +29 24.3   3.119   2.625   51.8  14.2     9   65
  23.00   0 14.20  +29 34.6   3.118   2.563   48.0  14.1    12   59
  28.00   0 15.95  +29 49.4   3.111   2.500   44.4  13.9    15   55

COMET ZANOTTA-BREWINGTON (1991g1)
Selected further observations reported:
1991 Dec 27.79, m1=9.4, dia 4' (0.15-m refl, A.Pereira, Portugal)
         27.82,    9.2, dia 4' (0.15-m refl, C.Andrade e Silva)
         28.74,    9.6, dia 3.5'(20x60B, Herman Mikuz, Yugoslavia)
         28.80,    9.1, dia 3' (0.15-m refl, A.Pereira, Portugal)
         28.81,    9.0, dia 4' (0.15-m refl, C.Andrade e Silva)
Luciano Bittesini, Italy, e-mails a precise position:
1991 Dec 27.70972 20h58m43.90s +17 34'21.8"(2000)
He comments that on Dec 27.72292 the comet was involved with the
star PPM 139390 which is located at:
                  20h58m47.70s +17 34'08.8 (2000)
Guy M Hurst