------------------------------------------------------------------- THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 1160 1997 Jan 18 19.10UT Ed:Guy M Hurst, 16,Westminster Close, Kempshott Rise, Basingstoke, Hants, RG22 4PP,England.Telephone/FAX(01256)471074Int:+441256471074 INTERNET: GUY@TAHQ.DEMON.CO.UK GMH at AST.STAR.RL.AC.UK WORLD WIDE WEB http://www.demon.co.uk/astronomer ------------------------------------------------------------------- COMET C/1997 A1 (NEAT) The comet announced on E1158 as found by E.Helin has been designated as above. T.Kobayashi, Oizumi, Japan has now reported pre-discovery images obtained on Jan 9 when the comet was estimated to be of total magnitude 18.5. Stephen Laurie, Church Stretton, England has also secured post- discovery images on Jan 15 and provided precise positions which have been published in the Electronic Minor Planet Circulars. Orbital elements by Brian Marsden: T 1997 June 17.2080 TT w 39.27000 ) e 1.00000000 O 135.77400 ) 2000.0 q 3.1737500 A.U. i 145.06900 ) Source: IAUC 6534 Positions are geocentric Ephemeris by G.Hurst using EPH.EXE by Nick James: m = 11.0 + 5.0 log R + 10.0 log r Date R.A. (2000) Dec. R r Elong Mag. Motion h m o ' (AU) (AU) o "/hr P.A. 1997 Jan 17.00 9 26.41 +18 37.0 2.554 3.489 158.6 18.5 91 304 22.00 9 15.40 +20 21.3 2.505 3.469 166.3 18.4 96 303 27.00 9 3.57 +22 6.3 2.471 3.450 173.0 18.3 99 302 1997 Feb 1.00 8 51.11 +23 49.5 2.452 3.432 173.1 18.3 101 300 6.00 8 38.22 +25 28.6 2.448 3.414 166.3 18.3 100 299 11.00 8 25.16 +27 1.3 2.460 3.397 158.5 18.3 98 297 16.00 8 12.19 +28 26.2 2.485 3.381 150.5 18.3 94 295 21.00 7 59.58 +29 42.1 2.525 3.364 142.6 18.3 88 294 26.00 7 47.54 +30 48.8 2.576 3.349 134.9 18.3 82 292 1997 Mar 3.00 7 36.26 +31 46.5 2.637 3.334 127.4 18.3 74 291 8.00 7 25.87 +32 35.8 2.708 3.320 120.2 18.4 67 290 13.00 7 16.48 +33 17.7 2.785 3.306 113.2 18.4 59 289 18.00 7 8.11 +33 53.2 2.868 3.293 106.5 18.5 52 288 23.00 7 0.77 +34 23.4 2.956 3.281 100.1 18.5 45 288 28.00 6 54.42 +34 49.4 3.045 3.269 93.9 18.6 38 288 Guy M Hurst