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IAUC 8457: C/2004 X3; P/2004 X1; 2004gu

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IAUC number 

                                                  Circular No. 8457
Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION
Mailstop 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  ISSN 0081-0304
Phone 617-495-7440/7244/7444 (for emergency use only)


COMET C/2004 X3 (LINEAR)
     An apparently asteroidal object discovered by the LINEAR
project (discovery observation below), and posted on the 'NEO
Confirmation Page', has been found to show a round 4" coma in CCD
images taken in poor seeing on Dec. 20.5 and 21.5 UT by J. Young
with the 0.6-m reflector at Table Mountain, who adds that five
stacked images taken on the latter date show the head to be
slightly elongated.  Images taken by M. Tichy at Klet on Dec. 21.1
(1.06-m reflector) show a diffuse 8" coma.

     2004 UT             R.A. (2000) Decl.       Mag.
     Dec. 15.46391   11 47 32.84   + 6 26 11.2   20.1

The available astrometry, the following preliminary parabolic
orbital elements, and an ephemeris appear on MPEC 2004-Y36.

     T = 2005 June  9.166 TT          Peri. = 200.782
                                      Node  = 343.065   2000.0
     q = 4.42890 AU                   Incl. =  80.940


COMET P/2004 X1 (LINEAR)
     Improved orbital elements from MPEC 2004-Y17 (cf. IAUC 8449):

     T = 2004 Nov.  2.805 TT          Peri. = 346.962
     e = 0.76145                      Node  =   6.132   2000.0
     q = 0.78612 AU                   Incl. =   5.223
       a =  3.29532 AU     n = 0.164762     P =   5.98 years


SUPERNOVA 2004gu
     N. Morrell, G. Folatelli, M. Hamuy, and M. Roth, Carnegie
Supernova Project, report that a CCD spectrogram of SN 2004gu (IAUC
8454), obtained on Dec. 19.33 UT with the 6.5-m Magellan II Clay
Telescope (+ LDSS2) at Las Campanas, confirms this to be a type-Ia
supernova.  The spectrum strongly resembles that of SN 1999aa near
maximum light except for the Ca II H and K absorption which is
stronger in SN 2004gu.  The expansion velocity inferred from the
minimum of the Si II 635.5-nm absorption is 11600 km/s, assuming
for the host galaxy a recession velocity of 13600 km/s (derived
from the absorption lines present).  The Si II 597.2-nm line is
apparently absent, indicating a high-luminosity event.

                      (C) Copyright 2004 CBAT
2004 December 21               (8457)            Daniel W. E. Green

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