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THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 1055      1996 Mar 01 19.40UT
Ed:Guy M Hurst, 16,Westminster Close, Kempshott Rise,  Basingstoke,
Hants, RG22 4PP,England. Telephone/FAX(0256)471074 Int:+44256471074
INTERNET: GUY@TAHQ.DEMON.CO.UK             GMH at AST.STAR.RL.AC.UK
WORLD WIDE WEB                    http://www.demon.co.uk/astronomer
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EDITORIAL
With 159 comet observations already received during the last week
and e-mail to the Editor's boxes on this and other subjects
running at an unprecedented level (over 500 per week) it is vital
that TA contributors send in results for Feb immediately. To give
us a fair chance of rapid publication this month I am bringing
the comet deadline forward to midnight tomorrow i.e. Mar 3.0UT.

It is also vital that as an absolute minimum all comet reports
quote the magnitude AND coma diameter especially for Comet
C/1996 B2 as any analysis will crucially depend on the
visibility of the object from your location i.e. relationship
between the magnitude and coma diameter.

COMET C/1996 B2 (HYAKUTAKE)

Selected observations received:
Date (Feb)  m1     coma dia' Observer         Location  Instrument
24.16UT,    7.9      3       Werner Hasubick  Germany      25x100B
25.15UT,    7.0      8       Roberto Haver      Italy       15x80B
26.19UT,    7.7      5       Werner Hasubick  Germany      25x100B
27.15UT,    6.7     22       Herman Mikuz     Slovenia   0.20-m BS
27.20UT,    7.5      5       Robert Bullen         UK       11x80B
27.24UT,    6.4     10       Guy Hurst             UK       15x80B
28.18UT,    6.5     13       Jonathan Shanklin     UK        7x50B
28.71UT,    6.5:             Peter Caldwell  Australia 0.25-m refl
29.11UT,    6.4      6       Alexander Baransky Ukraine0.11-m refl
29.18UT,    6.4     12       Jonathan Shanklin     UK        7x50B
29.23UT,    6.1     10       Guy Hurst             UK       15x80B
29.37UT,    6.1     15       Gary Kronk         USA         20x80B
    (Mar)
 1.16UT,    6.3     26       Herman Mikuz     Slovenia   0.20-m BS

Guy M Hurst