Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
IAUC 2982: 1976j; 1976e; 1975n; Corrs
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Read IAUC 2983
Circular No. 2982
Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION
Postal Address: Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A.
Cable Address: SATELLITES, NEWYORK
Western Union: RAPID SATELLITE CAMBMASS
PERIODIC COMET KLEMOLA (1976j)
Ch. Fehrenbach and Y. Andrillat, Observatoire Haute Provence,
report that this comet has been recovered by G. Sause with the
O.H.P.-Universite de Liege Schmidt telescope. The comet displayed
a tail 2' to 3' long. The following precise positions have been
determined by Fehrenbach.
1976 UT R. A. (1950) Decl. m1
Aug. 6.06806 22 55 32.3 + 6 26 00 12
7.07674 22 56 04.8 + 6 21 40
8.10000 22 56 34.4 + 6 17 10
8.11528 22 56 34.8 + 6 17 00.6
The observations indicate that the predicted time of perihelion
passage (Handb. Br. Astron. Assoc. for 1976) requires a correction
of Delta-T = -10.20 days. For an ephemeris, see IAUC 2945.
PERIODIC COMET D'ARREST (1976e)
B. L. Ulich and N. Conklin, National Radio Astronomy Observatory,
report that their attempts to detect millimeter-wavelength
spectral lines with the 11-m radio telescope at Kitt Peak were
unsuccessful.
S. Furia, Schiaparelli Astronomical Observatory, Varese,
Italy, cables that on a plate taken with a 13-cm Schmidt camera on
Aug. 5.01 UT the total magnitude of the comet is estimated at 2.5
to 3 and the coma diameter at 18'. On the other hand, K. Simmons,
Switzerland, Florida, reports the total visual magnitude 7.7 on
Aug. 1.14 UT (14 x 100 binoculars), C. S. Morris, Boalsburg,
Pennsylvania, 6.1 on three consecutive nights between Aug. 2 and 4
(12 x 50 binoculars and 12 x 40 refractor), and P. Maley, Houston,
Texas, 7.6 to 7.4 on four consecutive nights between Aug. 3 and 6
(10 x 80 binoculars).
COMET WEST (1975n)
The following positions have recently been obtained:
1976 UT R. A. (1950) Decl. Observer
July 18.23403 17 29 17.56 + 7 22 28.4 Klemola
19.15541 17 28 24.14 + 7 09 19.8 Shao
26.21900 17 22 36.67 + 5 30 50.3 McCrosky
28.15503 17 21 19.68 + 5 04 42.2 Schwartz
A. R. Klemola (Lick Observatory). 91-cm refractor. Measurer:
Klemola. Nucleus A.
R. E. McCrosky, G. Schwartz and C.-Y. Shao (Harvard College
Observatory, Agassiz Station). 155-cm reflector. Measurer: Z.
Sekanina. Nucleus A.
Further photographic observations of the separations and position
angles of nuclei B and D (relative to nucleus A):
Nucleus B. June 25.33 UT, 42".3, 300o.3 (S. Murrell and C. Knuckles,
New Mexico State University; measured by E. J. Reese); July
2.30, 40".0, 303o.9 (H. L. Giclas, Lowell Observatory); 18.24,
35".3, 313o.5 (Murrell and Knuckles); 19.16, 35".2, 314o.3 (Shao);
23.17, 34".6, 316o.1 (Shao); 24.20, 34".2, 316o.8 (Murrell and
Knuckles); 25.22, 34".0, 317o.8 (Schwartz); 26.22, 34".0, 318o.2
(McCrosky); 28.16, 33".6, 319o.1 (Schwartz); Aug. 1.27, 32".6,
321o.1 (Giclas).
Nucleus D. June 25.33 UT, 21".2, 306o.6 (Murrell and Knuckles); July
2.30, 20".3, 308o.9 (Giclas); 18.23, 18".9, 316o.3 (Klemola); 18.24,
18".3, 315o.3 (Murrell and Knuckles); 19.16, 18".3, 315o.5 (Shao);
19.24, 18".5, - (E. A. Harlan, Lick Observatory); 21.26, 18".4, -
(Klemola); 23.17, 18".5, 316o.4 (Shao); 24.20, 18".2, 317o.2 (Murrell
and Knuckles); 26.22, 17".9, 317o.8 (McCrosky); 28.16, 18".0, 318o.4
(Schwartz); Aug. 1.27, 17".3, 320o.9 (Giclas).
J. S. Neff and D. A. Ketelsen, Department of Physics and
Astronomy, University of Iowa, report observations on July 25.2 and
26.2 UT with a photoelectric spectrophotometer (3200-5800 A). From
inspection of strip chart records the flux distribution corrected
for sky appears to be continuous and similar to that of the sun. A
preliminary monochromatic magnitude at 5500 A is 11.8.
J. Bortle, Brooks Observatory, provides the following visual
magnitude estimates for the condensations (32-cm reflector): July
18.10 UT, A = 15.0, B invisible, D = 15.0; 19.10, A, B and D all
14.8-15.0. Total magnitude estimates, coma diameters and tail
information: July 18.10 UT, 8.5, 11', 8' in p.a. 295o (Bortle, 10 x
50 binoculars); 19.10, 8.6, 8'.6, 10'-12' in 300o (Bortle); 25.22,
8.8, 15', - (C. S. Morris, Boalsburg, Pennsylvania, 12 x 50 binoculars);
26.18, 8.8, 12' by 20' elongated in 310o, - (Morris); Aug.
2.19, 9.2, 8' by 20' elongated in 315o, - (Morris, 15-cm reflector);
3.18, 9.3, 10' by 15' elongated in 315o, - (Morris); 4.22, 9.8, 6'
by 10' elongated in 310o, - (Morris).
CORRIGENDA
In the report of the observations of C. S. Morris on IAUC 2980:
for Pennsylvania State College read Pennsylvania State University;
the fourth tail on July 27 was a curved, narrow extension, not a
broad fan.
1976 August 12 (2982) Zdenek Sekanina
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