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THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 1319      1998 Jul 13 18.09UT
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 C/1998 M5 (LINEAR)
F. Shelly reports the discovery of another comet by LINEAR.
Selected CCD astrometry reported:

     1998 UT             R.A. (2000) Decl.        m1    Observer
     June 30.30998   23 10 12.61   +17 49 45.4   15.9   Shelly
          30.33430   23 10 12.04   +17 50 14.7   16.3     "
          30.34652   23 10 11.72   +17 50 28.4   15.9     "
     July  1.05806   23 09 51.46   +18 04 34.9   13.8   Korlevic
           1.05994   23 09 51.41   +18 04 37.4   13.9     "
           1.06163   23 09 51.38   +18 04 39.9   13.8     "
           1.38194   23 09 42.24   +18 11 03.1   14.7   Offutt
           1.39616   23 09 41.73   +18 11 19.8   14.7   Hug
           1.40524   23 09 41.45   +18 11 30.5   14.2     "
           1.40957   23 09 41.35   +18 11 36.2   14.8   Offutt
           1.41681   23 09 41.18   +18 11 45.6   14.8     "

F. Shelly, M. Blythe, and M. Bezpalko (Socorro).  1-m f/2.15
  reflector.  Measurers J. Stuart, H. Viggh, and R. Sayer.  Tail
  about 40" long toward south-southwest.
IAUC 6959 (extract)

Orbital elements by Dan Green:
T  1999 Jan  24.0020 TT      w  89.45000 )
e  1.00000000                O 333.26100 ) 2000.0
q  2.1110500 A.U.            i  80.34200 )
Source: IAUC 6961    Positions are geocentric

m =  5.5 + 5.0 log R + 10.0 log r

Ephemeris by Guy Hurst using EPH.EXE by Nick James:

  Date    R.A. (2000) Dec.     R       r     Elong  Mag.    Motion
          h  m       o  '     (AU)    (AU)     o          "/hr P.A.
1998 July
  11.00  23  3.53  +21 28.9   2.577   3.080  110.3  12.4    60  332
  16.00  22 59.02  +23 16.1   2.480   3.042  114.2  12.3    64  328
  21.00  22 53.51  +25  5.3   2.389   3.003  118.0  12.2    69  323
  26.00  22 46.90  +26 55.8   2.304   2.965  121.6  12.0    73  319
  31.00  22 39.12  +28 46.0   2.227   2.927  124.8  11.9    78  315
1998 Aug
   5.00  22 30.12  +30 34.3   2.157   2.890  127.6  11.8    82  311
  10.00  22 19.87  +32 18.8   2.096   2.853  129.8  11.7    86  307
  15.00  22  8.41  +33 57.3   2.043   2.817  131.3  11.5    89  302
  20.00  21 55.81  +35 27.1   2.000   2.781  132.0  11.4    91  298
  25.00  21 42.25  +36 46.2   1.966   2.745  131.7  11.4    91  294
  30.00  21 27.99  +37 52.4   1.942   2.710  130.6  11.3    91  289

UV PERSEI (=Q1998/049)
Patrick Schmeer, Germany has e-mailed a report that an outburst
has been detected in this recurrent object and the brightening
has been confirmed by Gary Poyner, Bimringham, England:
1998 July 12.969UT, 11.6 (Schmeer, 0.20-m T)
          13.006UT, 13.0 (Poyner, 0.40-m refl. BAA sequence)
Gary adds the latter estimate reduces to mag 12.3 using the AAVSO
sequence.
Taichi Kato, Japan suggests this is a superoutburst. The last of
this type occurred in 1996 March.
Guy M Hurst