------------------------------------------------------------------- THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 1186 1997 Apr 20 15.03UT 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 G2 (MONTANI) J. Montani, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, reports the discovery of another comet with the Spacewatch 0.9-m telescope at Kitt Peak. The coma subtends 7"-8" on the exposures, taken in good seeing. A tail is plainly visible in the Apr. 12 CCD scans; the main tail is 25" long in p.a. 355 deg, and fine streamers 20" and 15" long lie at p.a. 340 and 10 deg, respectively. 1997 UT R.A. (2000) Decl. m1 Apr. 12.46169 16 00 25.11 - 7 57 17.7 18.4 12.47629 16 00 24.51 - 7 57 20.8 18.3 12.49199 16 00 23.89 - 7 57 25.2 18.4 13.32855 15 59 50.82 - 8 00 31.0 18.3 13.33954 15 59 50.38 - 8 00 34.4 18.4 13.35111 15 59 49.88 - 8 00 37.0 18.2 13.35875 15 59 49.57 - 8 00 39.5 18.5 13.36431 15 59 49.36 - 8 00 40.4 18.3 13.37117 15 59 49.05 - 8 00 41.8 18.2 IAUC 6626 Orbital elements by S.Nakano, Japan: T 1998 Apr 16.2150 TT w 239.41700 ) e 1.00000000 O 55.78700 ) 2000.0 q 3.1064700 A.U. i 70.03700 ) Source: IAUC 6630 Positions are geocentric m = 8.5 + 5.0 log R + 10.0 log r Ephemeris by G.Hurst using EPH.EXE by N.James: Date R.A. (2000) Dec. R r Elong Mag. Motion h m o ' (AU) (AU) o "/hr P.A. 1997 Apr 17.00 15 57.28 -8 14.6 3.746 4.614 146.2 18.0 29 250 22.00 15 53.44 -8 34.8 3.672 4.581 151.7 17.9 32 251 27.00 15 49.23 -8 56.1 3.605 4.549 157.1 17.9 34 251 1997 May 2.00 15 44.68 -9 18.7 3.546 4.517 162.4 17.8 37 252 7.00 15 39.85 -9 42.5 3.495 4.485 167.3 17.7 39 252 12.00 15 34.78 -10 7.6 3.453 4.453 170.8 17.7 40 251 17.00 15 29.54 -10 33.9 3.420 4.422 171.2 17.6 41 251 22.00 15 24.22 -11 1.5 3.395 4.390 168.0 17.6 42 250 27.00 15 18.88 -11 30.3 3.379 4.359 163.3 17.5 42 249 1997 June 1.00 15 13.59 -12 0.1 3.371 4.328 157.9 17.5 41 248 6.00 15 8.43 -12 31.0 3.372 4.297 152.4 17.5 40 247 11.00 15 3.47 -13 2.9 3.380 4.266 146.8 17.4 39 245 16.00 14 58.78 -13 35.7 3.396 4.235 141.2 17.4 37 243 21.00 14 54.40 -14 9.4 3.419 4.205 135.6 17.4 35 241 26.00 14 50.39 -14 44.0 3.447 4.175 130.1 17.4 33 238 Guy M Hurst