Electronic Telegram No. 118
Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION
M.S. 18, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A.
IAUSUBS@CFA.HARVARD.EDU or FAX 617-495-7231 (subscriptions)
CBAT@CFA.HARVARD.EDU (science)
URL http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/iau/cbat.html


COMET C/2005 E2 (McNAUGHT)
     R. H. McNaught, Jr., reports his discovery of a comet with a 12"
tail in p.a. 250 degrees on CCD images taken on Mar. 12.8 and 13.8 UT with
the 0.5-m Uppsala Schmidt telescope at Siding Spring (discovery observation
given below).  Following posting on the 'NEO Confirmation Page, CCD
observations obtained with the 1.0-m f/7.7 reflector at Mt. John University
Observatory on Mar. 13.7 by A. C. Gilmore (measured by P. M. Kilmartin) show
a uniform coma about 7" in diameter with a stubby tail 13" long to the
southwest.

     2005 UT             R.A. (2000) Decl.       Mag.
     Mar. 12.75009   19 47 24.43   -35 48 32.6   16.5

The available astrometry, the following very preliminary parabolic orbital
elements, and an ephemeris appear on MPEC 2005-E84.

     T = 2006 Apr. 13.126 TT          Peri. = 358.748
                                      Node  = 357.427   2000.0
     q = 3.01128 AU                   Incl. =  16.116


NOTE: These 'Central Bureau Electronic Telegrams' are intended to
      be preliminary announcements of items that later appear in the
      formal IAU Circulars.  Citations should normally be made to IAUCs
      rather than to CBETs.

                         (C) Copyright 2005 CBAT
2005 March 14                    (CBET 118)               Daniel W. E. Green