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THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 1452      1999 Oct 07 06.33UT
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 S4 (LINEAR)
Another unusual-moving object discovered by LINEAR and reported as
asteroidal, subsequently posted on the NEO Confirmation Page, has
been noted to be cometary in appearance by D. Durig (Sewanee, TN,
0.3-m f/7 reflector + CCD; coma diameter about 10"; tail about
20"-25" long in p.a. 200-220 deg) and by J. Ticha and M.Tichy
(Klet, 0.57-m f/5.2 reflector + CCD; comet diffuse with 8" coma and
tail > 10" long in p.a. 245 deg).  The discovery observation is
given below:

     1999 UT             R.A. (2000) Decl.        m2
     Sept.27.39772    5 03 47.42   +34 16 45.3   17.3

The following preliminary parabolic orbital elements (from MPEC
1999-T02) suggest that this comet might become a NAKED-EYE OBJECT
next July:

     T = 2000 July 18.288 TT          Peri. = 152.651
                                      Node  =  83.387   2000.0
     q = 0.71953 AU                   Incl. = 149.934

1999 TT     R. A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong. Phase    m1
Sept.29     5 02.95   +34 24.1   3.851   4.254  107.0   13.0   16.2
Oct.  4     4 59.84   +34 47.4   3.716   4.200  112.4   12.7   16.1
      9     4 55.95   +35 10.8   3.584   4.146  117.9   12.3   15.9
     14     4 51.21   +35 33.9   3.455   4.092  123.5   11.7   15.8
     19     4 45.56   +35 56.1   3.332   4.037  129.2   11.0   15.7

Guy M Hurst