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THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 2450      2008 May 26 18.41UT
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      Backup: gmh@wdcc1.bnsc.rl.ac.uk
WORLD WIDE WEB                         http://www.theastronomer.org
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COMET 7P/PONS-WINNECKE
Mark Kidger (European Space Agency European Space Astronomy Centre) 
reports on behalf of the "Observadores_cometas" Group that additional 
photometry and images have been reported that confirm the outburst of 
7P/Pons-Winnecke reported tentatively in TA Electronic Circular 2449.

Aperture photometry has been reported by Gustavo Muler (MPC J47,
Lanzarote, Spain), Cesar Piret (MPC J46, Lanzarote, Spain), Jose Maria 
Ruiz (MPC J40, Malaga, Spain). The photometry suggests that the outburst 
had already filled a 60" diameter aperture and was decaying when 
detected by Muler on 2008 May 23.9.

Nightly mean R magnitudes from the above observers are:
2008 May 16.9 - 10", 18.43; 20", 18.23; 30", 17.19
2008 May 17.9 - 10", 18.46; 20", 18.27; 30", 17.93
2008 May 24.0 - 10", 16.06; 20", 15.36; 30", 15.09
2008 May 24.9 - 10", 16.62; 20", 15.76; 30", 15.43
2008 May 25.9 - 10", 16.87; 20", 15.79; 30", 15.39

Images show a rapidly expanding coma which is now more extended than a 
1/r profile, with a faint straight tail visible to the south-east on 
2008 May 24.9. Images of the outburst evolution are available at: 
http://www.astrosurf.com/comets/cometas/7p/imagenes/7p.html
and a light curve of all 2008 aperture photometry data at: 
http://www.astrosurf.com/comets/cometas/7p/image010.gif

Ernesto Guido and Giovanni Sostero report, in response to TA E-Circular 
2450, that they imaged the comet on 2008 May 25.05 through the GRAS 
Mayhill remote site in New Mexico using a 0.25-m f/3.4 reflector + CCD. 
There was a diffuse coma nearly 25 arcsec in diameter, with a sharp 
central condensation. Total magnitude
m1 was measured to be R= 15.9. Preliminary afrho calculation provides a 
rather flat trend, with an average value of 30 +/- 5 cm.

COMET C/2007 W1 (BOATTINI)
Visual total-magnitude and coma-diameter estimates:  Apr. 13.82 UT, 8.6, 
4.2' (Werner Hasubick, Buchloe, Germany, 10-cm refractor); 23.88, 7.6, 
15' (J. J. Gonzalez, Leon, Spain, 10x50 binoculars); 30.93, 7.3, 12' (A. 
Amorim, Florianopolis, Brazil, 10x50 binoculars); May 2.44, 6.9, 18' (S. 
Rae, Tauranga, New Zealand,
10x50 binoculars); 6.00, 7.0, 25' (M. Goiato, Aracatuba, Brazil, 7x50 
binoculars); 8.45, 6.4, -- (D. A. J. Seargent, Australia, naked eye)

SUPERNOVA 2008cl IN UGC 10261
Discovery by LOSS of a possible supernova (CBET 1378):
SN      2008 UT      R.A.  (2000.0)  Decl.    Mag.     Offset
2008cl  May 16.46   16 11 04.35  +52 27 08.0  17.7     2.8"E, 8.4"N

Guy M Hurst