Electronic Telegram No. 262
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 RV25 (LONEOS-Christensen)
     A comet reported by E. J. Christensen (Catalina Sky Survey, 0.68-m
Schmidt) as showing a 15-arcsec coma and no discernible tail in four stacked
60-second exposures on Oct. 22.3 UT was confirmed as cometary by R. H.
McNaught (Siding Spring Observatory, 1.0-m f/8 reflector; 90-degree fantail
to the southwest) on Oct. 22.6, by P. Birtwhistle (Great Shefford,
Berkshire, England, 0.40-m f/6.0 Schmidt-Cassegrain; 10-arcsec coma, moderately
condensed, no tail) on Oct. 22.9 and by R. Miles (Stourton Caundle, Dorset,
England, 0.28-m f/10 Schmidt Cassegrain) on Oct. 23.0.  Computations at the
Minor Planet Center revealed several prediscovery observations, notably that
the object is identical with the two-night asteroidal object 2005 RV25
(LONEOS discovery, MPS 141815).  Discovery positions follow, together with
the orbital elements given on MPEC 2005-U18, which also contains further
astrometry and an ephemeris.

     2005 UT             R.A. (2000) Decl.       Mag.   Observer
     Sept.11.28012    1 22 06.33   +19 05 16.3   17.7   LONEOS
     Oct. 22.25151    1 00 20.98   +16 33 08.1   18.3   Christensen

     T = 2006 Nov. 11.2775 TT         Peri. = 192.3492
     e = 0.167169                     Node  = 246.8919  2000.0
     q = 3.604711 AU                  Incl. =   9.8917
       a =  4.328260 AU    n = 0.1094546    P =   9.005 years


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      superseded by text appearing later in the printed IAU Circulars.

                         (C) Copyright 2005 CBAT
2005 October 23                  (CBET 262)               Brian G. Marsden