Comet Mori-Sato-Fujikawa (1975j)

The following precise positions have been reported: 1975 UT R. A. (1950) Decl. m1 Observer Oct. 30.18495 8 36 39.98 -15 30 07.8 8.9 Milet 30.20122 8 36 40.40 -15 31 04.1 " Nov. 2.81771 8 38 06.78 -19 07 45.7 9 Tomita 2.82014 8 38 06.93 -19 07 55.3 " 3.72503 8 38 25.51 -20 04 24.6 Koishikawa 3.77778 8 38 26.49 -20 07 41.5 " 3.80868 8 38 26.88 -20 09 40.5 9 Tomita 3.81111 8 38 26.71 -20 09 50.5 " B. Milet (Nice Observatory). Very good images. K. Tomita (Tokyo Astronomical Observatory, Dodaira Station). M. Koishikawa (Sendai Observatory, Ayashi Station). 20-cm f/5.5 reflector. From Nihondaira Obs. Circ. No. 714. The following improved orbital elements, by the undersigned, are from 47 observations Oct. 6 to Nov. 3. T = 1975 Dec. 25.7922 ET Peri. = 246.1973 Node = 277.9880 1950.0 q = 1.604701 AU Incl. = 91.5965 1975/76 ET R. A. (1950) Decl. Delta r m1 Dec. 14 7 54.19 -69 23.9 1.395 1.613 8.3 19 7 21.5 -74 22.9 24 6 26.0 -78 20.5 1.486 1.605 8.4 29 4 57.8 -80 44.6 Jan. 3 3 12.1 -81 05.1 1.604 1.609 8.6 8 1 48.6 -79 44.3 13 0 56.9 -77 36.9 1.735 1.624 8.8 18 0 26.2 -75 17.8 23 0 07.4 -73 01.9 1.865 1.650 9.0 Feb. 2 23 47.81 -68 58.6 12 23 39.66 -65 39.8 2.089 1.731 9.5 22 23 36.58 -63 03.2 Mar. 3 23 35.92 -61 05.1 2.234 1.847 9.9 13 23 36.26 -59 42.8 23 23 36.66 -58 54.6 2.288 1.988 10.3 Apr. 2 23 36.39 -58 40.0 12 23 34.61 -58 59.5 2.258 2.148 10.6 22 23 30.30 -59 53.2 May 2 23 22.07 -61 20.9 2.169 2.320 10.8 12 23 07.74 -63 19.1 22 22 44.21 -65 37.5 2.065 2.502 11.1 June 1 22 07.39 -67 54.3 11 21 14.40 -69 29.5 2.009 2.688 11.3 21 20 09.78 -69 34.6 July 1 19 07.63 -67 45.4 2.066 2.878 11.7 m1 = 5.5 + 5 log Delta + 10 log r Selected total visual magnitude estimates: Nov. 1.37 UT, 8.7 (J. Bortle, Brooks Observatory, 10 x 50 binoculars; suspected tail 12' long in p.a. 330o); 5.34, 8.5 (Bortle); 8.46, 8.8 (P. Maley, Houston, Texas, 13-cm refractor); 11.45, 8.7 (Maley); 13.72, 8.5 (B. Sumner, Windsor, Queensland, 15-cm f/4 reflector, 27 x).