------------------------------------------------------------------- THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 2633 2010 Mar 30 11.40UT 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 ------------------------------------------------------------------- COMET C/2010 F4 (MACHHOLZ) Further to TA E-Circular 21632, updated orbital elements are available from M.P.E.C. 2010-F8 by Brian Marsden: T 2010 Apr. 5.412 TT MPC q 0.61432 (2000.0) P Q Peri. 118.532 +0.271464 +0.488551 Node 236.022 +0.011150 +0.859932 e 1.0 Incl. 89.645 +0.962384 -0.147770 >From 28 observations 2010 Mar. 26-27. Updated Ephemeris: Date TT R. A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong Phase m1 2010 03 25 23 08.18 +31 49.7 1.183 0.663 34.1 57.4 12.1 2010 03 27 23 27.63 +32 15.0 1.206 0.648 32.5 55.8 12.0 2010 03 29 23 46.58 +32 24.4 1.232 0.635 30.9 53.8 12.0 2010 03 31 00 04.85 +32 18.9 1.261 0.626 29.3 51.4 12.0 2010 04 02 00 22.28 +31 59.9 1.293 0.619 27.7 48.7 12.0 2010 04 04 00 38.77 +31 29.1 1.327 0.615 26.1 45.7 12.0 2010 04 06 00 54.27 +30 48.3 1.362 0.614 24.6 42.6 12.1 2010 04 08 01 08.75 +29 59.3 1.399 0.617 23.0 39.3 12.1 2010 04 10 01 22.23 +29 03.9 1.437 0.622 21.4 35.9 12.2 The usual warning to observers is applicable due to close apparent proximity to the Sun during this period. SUPERNOVA 2010O IN NGC 3690 Discovery by the Puckett Observatory Supernova Search of a possible supernova (CBET 2144): SN 2010 UT R.A. (2000.0) Decl. Mag. Offset 2010O Jan 24.37 11 28 33.86 +58 33 51.6 15.6 3.7"E, 5.7"N The offsets are relative to the eastern component of the interacting galaxy pair NGC 3690 and IC 694. (The original object designated SN 2010O and reported by the CROSS program in IC 356 has been examined spectroscopically and found to be a foreground star). SUPERNOVA 2010P IN ARP 299 (= NGC 3690 + IC 694) Discovery by S. Mattila et. al., Turla Observatory of a possible second supernova in this galaxy pair (CBET 2145): SN 2010 UT R.A. (2000.0) Decl. Mag. Offset 2010P Jan 18.2 11 28 31.38 +58 33 49.3 - 6.2"E, 0.3"N Offsets from K-band nucleus 'C' of Arp 299. The light curve, absolute magnitude, and colors of 2010P are consistent with a core-collapse supernova with a likely extinction of about five magnitudes in V. URSID METEORS 2009 P. Jenniskens, SETI Institute, reports on CBET 2147 significant Ursid shower activity over normal annual rates over the period 2009 Dec. 22d00h-22d15h UT. Pierre Martin at Ottawa, Canada reported visual observations starting at 7h30m UT gave apparent rates of 10-15 Ursids/hr under 6.3-magnitude skies. Guy M Hurst