-------------------------------------------------------------------
THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 1443      1999 Sep 22 18.35UT
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/1999 S1 (SOHO)
D. A. Biesecker, SM&A Corporation and Goddard Space Flight
Center, reports observations of a presumed Kreutz sungrazing comet
discovered by JONATHAN SHANKLIN (Comet Section, British
Astronomical Association) in SOHO/LASCO C3 data (still outside the
field of the C2 instrument).  Astrometry and orbital computations
are given on MPEC 1999-S04.  Biesecker also provides the following
apparent magnitudes (statistical uncertainty +/- 0.1 mag) from a
3x3-pixel aperture (56"/pixel) centred on the comet's optocenter:
Sept. 17.221 UT, 4.87; 17.263, 4.75; 17.346, 4.54; 17.388, 4.41;
17.431, 4.40; 17.471, 4.42; 17.513, 4.50.
     1999 UT            R.A. (2000) Decl.
     Sept. 16.679     11 07.8       + 1 18
IAUC 7256

Editor: We offer our sincere congratulations to the Director of
the BAA Comet Section on this discovery!


COMET P/1999 R2 (GE-WANG)
J. V. Scotti, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, reports his recovery
of comet P/1988 V1 (= 1988o = 1988 VIII) with the Spacewatch 0.9-m
telescope at Kitt Peak:

     1999 UT             R.A. (2000) Decl.        m1
     Sept.15.44370    2 21 17.24   + 6 41 27.2
          15.46496    2 21 17.25   + 6 41 18.1   20.3
          15.49196    2 21 17.37   + 6 41 06.6   20.3
          15.44370    2 21 17.24   + 6 41 27.2
          15.46496    2 21 17.25   + 6 41 18.1   20.3
          15.49196    2 21 17.37   + 6 41 06.6   20.3
          16.45333    2 21 18.30   + 6 34 23.3
          16.47169    2 21 18.28   + 6 34 15.9   19.8
          16.48999    2 21 18.24   + 6 34 07.8   19.4

The nuclear magnitude m2 = 22.1.  On Sept. 15 there was a coma 12"
across and a tail extending 0'.53 in p.a. 266 deg.  On Sept. 16 the
coma diameter was 11", and the tail extended 0'.47 in p.a. 267 deg.
The indicated correction to the prediction by S. Nakano on MPC
27081 is Delta T = -5.5 days.

     The following improved orbital elements, by the undersigned,
satisfy 20 observations 1988-1999 with a mean residual of 0".8:

                    Epoch = 1999 July  1.0 TT
     T = 1999 June 21.4782 TT         Peri. = 177.3858
     e = 0.500318                     Node  = 177.1400  2000.0
     q = 2.496405 AU                  Incl. =  12.1732
       a =  4.995986 AU    n = 0.0882617    P =  11.167 years
IAUC 7255 (extract)

DO DRACONIS
Further to the note on E1442, We understand that Margareta
Westlund of Uppsala, Sweden, also obtained an early confirmation of
the outburst which she recorded as Sept. 20.935UT, 11.0v using
a 0.21-m T.

Guy M Hurst