Periodic Comet d'Arrest (1976e)

The following precise positions have been reported: 1976 UT R. A. (1950) Decl. m1 Observer June 26.68958 18 54 37.8 +21 52 00 15.5 Seki 28.57292 18 57 00.2 +21 59 36 14 " 28.65868 18 57 06.31 +21 59 54.9 13.5 Kojima July 2.66354 19 02 38.73 +22 04 33.0 13 " 2.68750 19 02 40.52 +22 04 31.8 13 " 7.65868 19 10 46.79 +21 44 52.2 13 Seki 17.91726 19 33 47.86 +19 00 15.1 11.0 Mrkos 17.92322 19 33 48.77 +19 00 05.6 " 19.88759 19 39 30.97 +18 02 39.9 10.5 " 23.00417 19 49 36.5 +16 09 10 9.3 Apeldoorn 23.02500 19 49 40.0 +16 08 12 " 26.53795 20 02 51.11 +13 22 08.7 Urata 26.54015 20 02 52.33 +13 21 59.9 " 27.47118 20 06 42.91 +12 31 07.5 Herald 29.90191 20 17 25.43 + 9 59 05.9 9.1 Mrkos 29.90523 20 17 26.31 + 9 58 51.7 " 29.91858 20 17 46.38 + 9 53 53.5 7 South 30.59514 20 20 40.26 + 9 11 44.4 Urata 30.59122 20 20 40.88 + 9 11 36.3 " 30.92650 20 22 15.93 + 8 48 08.4 9.5 Mrkos 30.92841 20 22 16.40 + 8 48 00.3 Waterfield 31.94987 20 27 18.36 + 7 32 44.7 " Aug. 1.88300 20 32 04.34 + 6 20 22.3 9.2 Mrkos 1.88456 20 32 04.85 + 6 20 15.7 " 3.02531 20 38 05.64 + 4 46 42.9 9.0 Vavrova 3.02174 20 38 06.39 + 4 46 31.5 " 14.45486 21 50 30.16 -14 18 34.9 Herald 14.57569 21 51 19.24 -14 32 31.6 Urata 14.57720 21 51 19.76 -14 32 40.6 " 15.91486 22 00 43.54 -16 51 57.3 Sutcliffe 16.54907 22 05 11.16 -11 56 24.4 Urata 16.55122 22 05 12.61 -17 56 31.3 " 18.57813 22 19 27.05 -21 13 59.1 Herald 18.57986 22 19 27.56 -21 14 09.6 " 23.60295 22 53 43.35 -28 17 28.6 5 Urata 23.60341 22 53 43.53 -28 17 30.3 " T. Seki (Geisei) and N. Kojima (Ishiki). From Orient. Astron. Assoc. Comet Bull. No. 132. A. Mrkos and Vavrova (Klet Observatory). B. Apeldoorn (Volkssterrewacht Simon Stevin, Hoeven, The Netherlands). Long. = -4o33'50".0, Lat. = +51o34'02".5. T. Urata (JCPM Yakiimo Station). 20-cm f/5.5 reflector (stopped down on Aug. 16). From Nihondaira Obs. Circ. Nos. 780, 781, 793. D. Herald (Kambah, near Canberra). R. H. S. South, R. L. Waterfield and R. Sutcliffe (Woolston Observatory). Measurers: Waterfield and G. H. Rutter. On July 29 the outer coma was 5' in diameter, the inner coma 1'.5 and strongly condensed; some elongation toward the northwestern quadrant. Selected total visual magnitude estimates, coma diameters and tail information: Aug. 5.29 UT, 6.0, 26', 0o.5 in p.a. 300o (J. Bortle, Brooks Observatory, 10 x 50 binoculars); 12.36, 5.9, -, - (D. Seargent, The Entrance, New South Wales, naked eye); 15.17, 5.8, 25', - (P. Maley, Houston, Texas, 7 x 35 binoculars); 18.11, 5.7, > 15', - (Bortle); 21.25, 5.8, 25', 1o.5 in 310o (Maley); 25.16, 5.4, 20'-30', - (Bortle); 21.25, 5.3, ~ 20', 1o.3 in 315o (Maley); 30.24, 5.1, > 18', - (Bortle); 31.24, 5.0, 20', - (Bortle); Sept. 3.29, 5.4, 15', 1o.8 in 320o (Maley); 6.45, 5.5, 18', 1o (Maley).