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THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 3091      2015 Jly 16 18.44UT
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  29P/SCHWASSMANN-WACHMANN
Graham Wolf, New Zealand has e-mailed the following report to TAHQ:

Grant Christie at Auckland New Zealand reports Comet 29P at mv 17.0 on 2015
July 10.501 UT, with a 42cm SCT and photometer. John Drummond reports mv
13.4 on July 11.368 UT, with a similar instrument. Christie (again at
Auckland) updated the comet's photometric brightness to mv 13.2 on July
11.5799 UT
(Yahoogroups/CometObs refers).

Graham reports at the BGO with a 0.26-m f5 Dobsonian and 340x (GSO SV15,
and 2" Barlow projection at 4X). the following results were independently
obtained from near Hutt Park. The field of view is 12.4 arcmin, and the "AC"
comparison stars were Mlim 15 centred on Messier 4 near Antares. There have
been periods of clear skies in-between rain shower over the last 3
days. North Island (NZ) temps are the lowest in over 5 decades, and
typically -5deg C at many locations. No frost at Lower Hutt, so far!

This is the first time in July that I have detected 29p at brighter than ~
mv 14.5, when nearly overhead. I consider that I have caught the comet
pre-maximum, and suspect it could reach as high as mv 12 over the period
July 12 onwards.

July 11.36 UT Mv 13.5 Comet faintly seen in Mv 14.0 FOV
11.52 UT Mv 13.2 Slight brightening
11.60 UT Mv  13.0 Brightening continues. Moon below local
Wainuiomata Hills horizon.

Guy M Hurst