------------------------------------------------------------------- THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 2906 2013 Apr 17 14.20UT 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/2013 G5 (CATALINA) Catalina Sky Survey images secured on 2013 April 13 of an asteroidal-like object obtained by R. A. Kowalski with the 0.68-m Schmidt telescope have now shown cometary appearance in follow-up imaging. Discovery images: 2013 UT R.A. (2000) Decl. Mag. Observer Apr. 13.46027 14 44 40.05 +43 45 38.3 19.3 Kowalski 13.48274 14 44 39.12 +43 46 06.9 19.0 " Felix Hormuth relays that nine 60-s images taken on 2013 Apr 13.9UT with the Calar Alto 1.23-m telescope show a faint coma 10" in diameter with a short, diffuse 30" tail in PA 250 deg. Luca Buzzi, Italy reports images of Apr 13.95UT show a round coma 7" in diameter with no tail. Preliminary parabolic orbital elements from CBET 3474 by Gareth Williams: T = 2013 Sept. 1.1350 TT Peri. = 165.8379 Node = 144.0163 2000.0 q = 0.927635 AU Incl. = 40.4870 Ephemeris (MPEC 2013-H06): Date TT R. A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 2013 03 17 14 52 48.6 +33 48 10 2.0187 2.7235 125.8 19.9 2013 04 01 14 51 19.0 +39 15 37 1.8125 2.5425 127.0 19.3 2013 04 09 14 47 39.5 +42 11 05 1.7220 2.4448 125.6 19.1 2013 04 15 14 43 29.1 +44 17 22 1.6626 2.3710 123.7 18.9 2013 04 16 14 42 40.3 +44 37 42 1.6534 2.3587 123.3 18.8 2013 04 17 14 41 49.4 +44 57 48 1.6443 2.3464 122.9 18.8 2013 04 23 14 36 03.2 +46 52 22 1.5936 2.2721 120.2 18.6 2013 05 01 14 26 42.3 +49 05 25 1.5343 2.1724 115.9 18.3 2013 05 16 14 05 54.4 +51 54 45 1.4419 1.9841 106.6 17.8 The comet may reach about magnitude 12 at perihelion in 2013 September. IAU PRESS RELEASE 1301 In the light of recent events, where the possibility of buying the rights to name exoplanets has been advertised, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) wishes to inform the public that such schemes have no bearing on the official naming process. The IAU wholeheartedly welcomes the public's interest to be involved in recent discoveries, but would like to strongly stress the importance of having a unified naming procedure. The full text of this press release and image are available on: http://www.iau.org/public_press/news/detail/iau1301/ Guy M Hurst