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THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 1258      1997 Dec 13 19.51UT
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
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COMET P/1997 X2 (KOWAL-VAVROVA)
J. V. Scotti reports his recovery of comet P/1983 J3 (= 1983t
= 1983 III) = 1983 JG with the Spacewatch telescope at Kitt Peak.
No information about the comet's appearance was given for Dec. 5;
on Dec. 6, the comet was stellar (m_2 = 22.3).

     1997 UT             R.A. (2000) Decl.        m1
     Dec.  5.48725   10 26 08.29   + 5 23 55.5   21.8
           5.49825   10 26 08.57   + 5 23 53.6   20.8
           5.50948   10 26 08.97   + 5 23 50.7   21.6
           6.48070   10 26 36.39   + 5 20 25.1
           6.50146   10 26 36.93   + 5 20 19.3
           6.52285   10 26 37.50   + 5 20 16.5

The indicated correction to the prediction by S. Nakano on MPC
25184 (ephemeris on MPC 30481) is Delta(T) about +5.3 days.  The
following improved orbital elements by G. V. Williams, Smithsonian
Astrophysical Observatory, are from 14 observations, 1983-1997
(mean residual 0".8):

                    Epoch = 1998 Nov.  3.0 TT
     T = 1998 Nov. 19.0548 TT         Peri. =  18.7359
     e = 0.587156                     Node  = 202.2878  2000.0
     q = 2.575587 AU                  Incl. =   4.3454
       a =  6.238637 AU    n = 0.0632513    P =  15.582 years

1997/98     R. A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong. Phase    m2
Dec.  8    10 27.30   + 5 15.2   3.412   3.701   99.3   15.2   22.3
     18    10 31.05   + 4 45.0   3.220   3.652  108.4   14.8   22.2
     28    10 33.28   + 4 23.5   3.037   3.604  117.9   14.0   22.0
Jan.  7    10 33.85   + 4 12.4   2.866   3.555  127.9   12.6   21.8
     17    10 32.68   + 4 12.7   2.711   3.507  138.2   10.8   21.6
     27    10 29.81   + 4 24.9   2.577   3.459  149.0    8.4   21.3
IAUC 6784 (extract)

PAUL DOHERTY
Martin Mobberley:
We have heard the sad news that the artist and renowned planetary
observer Paul Doherty died on Nov 27th after a year long battle with
Cancer.

Paul joined the BAA in 1961 and was awarded the BAA's Steavenson
medal in 1984. He was, of course, renowned for his drawings and
paintings of planets and comets and, in particular, his superb
observations of Saturn.

He used a variety of telescopes, culminating in his 419mm Newtonian
sited at Stoke-on-Trent. For many years he was the illustrator for
'The Sky at Night'.

Guy M Hurst