Electronic Telegram No. 161
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 P/2005 K3 (McNAUGHT)
     R. H. McNaught has reported his discovery of a comet (discovery position
below) with the 0.5-m Uppsala Schmidt in the course of the Siding Spring
Survey.  On May 20.8 and 21.8 UT there was a slightly diffuse head with a
narrow tail 30" long in p.a. 240 deg.  On May 29.7 the appearance of the
slightly diffuse head was much the same, but the tail was less obvious in
the moonlight.  On June 1.8, in excellent seeing, there was again a weak tail
to the southwest, as well as an almost stellar central condensation.

     2005 UT             R.A. (2000) Decl.       Mag.   Observer
     May  20.79323   23 42 17.23   -11 03 31.6   17.3   McNaught

     The full set of 21 astrometric observations, still very preliminary
equinox 2000.0 elliptical orbital elements (T = 2005 Aug. 22, Peri. = 24 deg,
Node = 350 deg, i = 16 deg, q = 1.44 AU, e = 0.45) and an ephemeris are given
on MPEC 2005-L03.


NOTE: These 'Central Bureau Electronic Telegrams' are sometimes
      superseded by text appearing later in the formal IAU Circulars.

                         (C) Copyright 2005 CBAT
2005 June 1                      (CBET 161)               Brian G. Marsden