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THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 1370      1998 Dec 30 20.43UT
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/1998 VS24 (LINEAR)
On further examining the Nov. 10-11 observations, published on MPS
3154, of an apparently unremarkable asteroidal discovery from the
LINEAR program, G. V. Williams made identifications with isolated
sets of observations from Visnjan on Oct. 24, 28 (the latter having
been published on MPS 2894 as one of two objects that were both
erroneously identified with 1998 UD19) and Nov. 26.  The resulting
orbit was very cometary in form. Furthermore, he recognized that
the object had made an extremely close approach (< 0.01 AU) to
Jupiter in Oct. 1971, with additional approaches to 0.5-0.7 AU in
both 1983 and 1995.  Here are representative observations:
     1998 UT             R.A. (2000) Decl.        m2    Observer
     Oct. 24.84196    3 03 16.98   +10 45 25.2          Visnjan
          28.91355    3 00 54.41   +10 30 48.8   17.9     "
     Nov. 10.25724    2 53 13.55   + 9 48 34.3   18.5   LINEAR
          11.28224    2 52 34.86   + 9 45 20.5   18.5     "
          26.73186    2 43 34.79   + 9 05 16.9          Visnjan
Following placement of the object in The NEO Confirmation Page,
observations during Dec. 18.9-19.3 UT have been reported by
J. Ticha and M. Tichy (Klet), P. Pravec (Ondrejov), W. B. Offutt
(Cloudcroft) and G. C. L. Aikman (Victoria), most of whom remark
that the object indeed seems to be of cometary appearance.

                    Epoch = 1998 Nov.  3.0 TT
     T = 1998 Nov.  6.3700 TT         Peri. = 245.1677
     e = 0.244762                     Node  = 159.1699  2000.0
     q = 3.402590 AU                  Incl. =   5.0282
       a =  4.505324 AU    n = 0.1030659    P =   9.563 years

1998/99     R. A. (2000) Decl.     Delta      r    Elong.Phase m2
Dec. 13     2 37.14    + 8 47.4    2.606    3.407  138.5 11.0 18.4
     23     2 35.43    + 8 50.8    2.713    3.409  128.1 13.1 18.6
Jan.  2     2 35.63    + 9 05.0    2.837    3.413  118.1 14.7 18.8
     12     2 37.72    + 9 28.9    2.973    3.416  108.6 15.8 18.9
IAUC 7071 (extract)

SUPERNOVA 1998ez IN ANONYMOUS GALAXY
L. Germany reports the discovery by the Mount Stromlo Abell
Cluster Supernova Search Team of an apparent supernova (V = 20) on
V and R CCD images taken on Dec. 8 (limiting mag V = 21) by
S. Sabine at the Mount Stromlo 1.27-m telescope (+ Macho Camera).
SN 1998ez is located near Abell 3188 at
R.A. =3h57m32s.93, Decl. = -27o12'13".6 (2000.0), which is 0".7
east and 4".0 north of the host galaxy's centre.  A nearby star has
position end figures 30s.25, 11'16".1.  SN 1998ez was not visible
on similar images taken on Oct. 24 (limiting mag V = 20.5) but it
was confirmed by S. Sabine with the same telescope (limiting mag V
= 20), and by L. Germany with the Mount Stromlo 2.3-m telescope (in
B, V, R, and I), on Dec. 11.
IAUC 7070 (extract)

TAV J0218+507
The date quoted on E1369 from which the magnitude of 10.5 was
derived by Mike Collins was incorrectly given as 1988 Sept 20.
This should have read 1998 Sept 20.

Guy M Hurst