------------------------------------------------------------------- THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 1448 1999 Sep 27 19.15UT 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 1999 S3 M. Bezpalko reports the discovery by LINEAR of a comet. Additional observations have been reported following posting on the NEO Confirmation Page: 1999 UT R.A. (2000) Decl. m1 Observer Sept.24.34373 1 21 56.90 +46 35 31.1 Bezpalko 24.35812 1 21 53.29 +46 36 10.2 " 24.38689 1 21 46.26 +46 37 29.8 " 24.78644 1 20 09.06 +46 55 47.5 Sarounova 24.78924 1 20 08.37 +46 55 55.4 " 24.79205 1 20 07.67 +46 56 03.1 " 24.79428 1 20 07.15 +46 56 09.0 Korlevic 24.79486 1 20 06.97 +46 56 10.8 13.5 Sarounova 24.79786 1 20 06.29 +46 56 19.2 Korlevic 24.80102 1 20 05.45 +46 56 28.1 " 24.80641 1 20 04.13 +46 56 43.0 Ticha 24.80759 1 20 03.84 +46 56 46.2 " 24.80863 1 20 03.58 +46 56 49.1 13.4 " 24.80984 1 20 03.28 +46 56 52.5 " M. Bezpalko, M. Blythe, F. Shelly, and M. Elowitz (Lincoln Laboratory ETS, Socorro). Measurers J. Stuart, H. Viggh, and R.Sayer. 1.0-m f/2.15 reflector + CCD. Tail in p.a. 200 deg; magnitude 15.6-15.7. L. Sarounova, D. Ondrich, and M. Prouza (Ondrejov). 0.65-m f/3.6 reflector + CCD. Coma diameter 35"; rather wide tail 3' long in p.a. 200 deg; m_2 = 14.8. K. Korlevic (Visnjan). 0.41-m f/4.3 reflector + CCD. Coma diameter 40"; tail 60" long in p.a. 160-190 deg; magnitude 14.8. J. Ticha and M. Tichy (Klet). 0.57-m f/5.2 reflector + CCD. Tail > 18" long in p.a. 225 deg. IAUC 7264 COMET C/1999 S2 (McNAUGHT-WATSON) The comet reported on E1447 has been named as above. The following parabolic orbital elements by Brian Marsden are extremely uncertain: T = 2001 Aug. 18.896 TT Peri. = 324.265 Node = 66.278 2000.0 q = 6.83526 AU Incl. = 66.713 1999 TT R. A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. Phase m1 Sept.19 3 13.71 -63 46.3 7.845 8.199 107.2 6.7 15.6 29 3 08.10 -64 12.5 7.819 8.165 106.8 6.7 15.6 Oct. 9 3 00.97 -64 28.9 7.802 8.131 105.8 6.8 15.6 19 2 52.69 -64 33.3 7.794 8.097 104.2 6.9 15.5 29 2 43.75 -64 23.8 7.796 8.063 102.1 6.9 15.5 Nov. 8 2 34.73 -63 59.7 7.805 8.030 99.6 7.0 15.5 18 2 26.20 -63 20.5 7.823 7.997 96.6 7.1 15.5 28 2 18.66 -62 27.3 7.846 7.964 93.3 7.1 15.5 IAUC 7262 (extract) Guy M Hurst