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THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 1390      1999 Mar 19 21.08UT
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/1999 E1 (LI)
Weidong Li and M. Modjaz, Department of Astronomy, University
of California at Berkeley, report the discovery of a comet in the
course of the Lick Observatory Supernova Search. The object was
found automatically by the Katzman Automatic Imaging Telescope
(KAIT), recorded by Modjaz as a supernova candidate, and recognized
by Li as a comet.  Li then used the equipment to make confirmatory
observations three nights later.  The comet shows an apparent tail
in p.a. about 120 deg.  Available unfiltered CCD astrometry:

     1999 UT             R.A. (2000) Decl.        m1
     Mar. 13.17569    6 24 42.94   + 4 41 24.2   16.5
          16.14473    6 25 40.92   + 5 16 38.0   16.8
          16.16436    6 25 41.29   + 5 16 51.7   16.7
          16.19431    6 25 41.93   + 5 17 12.7   16.8
IAUC 7126 (extract)

Orbital elements:

T  1999 Mar  30.7630 TT      w 339.60600 )
e  1.00000000                O 127.23000 ) 2000.0
q  4.0552000 A.U.            i  47.24600 )
Source: IAUC 7127    Positions are geocentric

Ephemeris by G.Hurst using EPH.EXE by N.James:

m =  6.5 + 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.
1999 Mar
  18.00   6 26.35   +5 38.3   3.773   4.057   99.4  15.5    32   26
  23.00   6 28.43   +6 35.1   3.842   4.056   95.2  15.5    33   31
  28.00   6 30.87   +7 29.8   3.913   4.055   91.0  15.5    33   36
1999 Apr
   2.00   6 33.66   +8 22.1   3.985   4.055   86.9  15.6    34   41
   7.00   6 36.77   +9 12.0   4.057   4.056   82.8  15.6    34   45
  12.00   6 40.20   +9 59.5   4.130   4.057   78.8  15.7    35   49
  17.00   6 43.91  +10 44.5   4.203   4.058   74.8  15.7    36   52
  22.00   6 47.89  +11 27.0   4.275   4.060   70.9  15.7    37   56
  27.00   6 52.13  +12  7.1   4.347   4.062   67.1  15.8    37   59
1999 May
   2.00   6 56.59  +12 44.7   4.417   4.065   63.3  15.8    38   61
   7.00   7  1.26  +13 20.0   4.485   4.068   59.5  15.9    39   64
  12.00   7  6.14  +13 53.0   4.552   4.071   55.8  15.9    39   66
  17.00   7 11.19  +14 23.7   4.617   4.075   52.1  15.9    40   68
  22.00   7 16.40  +14 52.2   4.679   4.080   48.5  16.0    41   70
  27.00   7 21.76  +15 18.6   4.739   4.085   44.9  16.0    41   72

Guy M Hurst