Comet C/2007 Q3 (Siding Spring)
Abstract
F. Colas, Observatoire de Paris, forwards a report by F. Manzini (Sozzago, Italy) of an 18th-magnitude condensed fragment in the tail of this comet, along with a fainter fragment, on Mar. 13.0 UT; follow-up images by Colas on Mar. 14.1 using the Pic du Midi 1-m telescope confirmed a single 18th-mag object some 6" from the main nuclear condensation in p.a. 240 deg. N. J. Howes, Cherhill, Wiltshire, U.K., reported a fragment of mag about 18 located about 3" in p.a. 240-253 deg from the primary component on Mar. 17 on images taken through three filters with the Faulkes Telescope North; his images from Apr. 12 fail to show component 'B', suggesting its disintegration. E. Bryssinck, Kruibeke, Belgium, found a secondary component 5".5 from the nuclear condensation in p.a. 258 deg in eight images (resolution 0".5/pixel) taken on Mar. 19.397 remotely with a 0.4-m reflector at the Tzec Maun Observatory in New Mexico. Reports suggest that component 'B' was about 4 mag fainter than primary component 'A'. The astrometry of this new component 'B' from Mar. 17 to Apr. 9 has been included on MPECs 2010-F87, 2010-G14, and 2010-G70.
- Publication:
-
International Astronomical Union Circular
- Pub Date:
- April 2010
- Bibcode:
- 2010IAUC.9135....2C