Comet P/2012 B1 (Panstarrs)
Abstract
Richard Wainscoat, Henry Hsieh, Bryce Bolin, and Larry Denneau, Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, report the discovery of a comet in r- and i-band exposures taken with the Pan-STARRS 1 telescope at Haleakala (discovery observations tabulated below), the object showing a soft nuclear condensation with a distinct tail that extends at least 10" from the nuclear condensation in p.a. approximately 280 degrees. Four 90-s exposures taken by Marco Micheli and Richard Wainscoat on Jan. 26 UT with the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (queue observer Adam Draginda) show the object to be clearly extended with a tail extending slightly north of west; a stacked image shows the obvious tail extending for approximately 18" in p.a. 280 degrees. After posting on the Minor Planet Center's NEOCP webpage, other CCD astrometrists have commented on the object's cometary appearance. T. H. Bressi (Spacewatch 1.8-m f/2.7 reflector + broadband Schott OG-515 filter; Jan. 26.3) finds a tail about 13" long in p.a. about 260 deg. T. Lister (2.0-m f/10 Ritchey-Chretien "Faulkes Telescope North" at Haleakala; Jan. 26.4) notes a fuzzy appearance and a possible tail about 10" long in p.a. about 290 deg. 2012 UT R.A. (2000) Decl. Mag. Jan. 25.52300 8 45 16.02 +27 58 26.2 19.7 25.53506 8 45 15.57 +27 58 27.8 19.8 25.54851 8 45 15.10 +27 58 29.7 19.6 25.56108 8 45 14.64 +27 58 31.5 19.7 The available astrometry (including prediscovery observations obtained at Konkoly Observatory on 2011 Dec. 31.9), the following elliptical orbital elements by G. V. Williams, and an ephemeris appear on MPEC 2012-B66. T = 2013 July 10.2586 TT Peri. = 161.9923 e = 0.423066 Node = 35.7403 2000.0 q = 3.795821 AU Incl. = 7.6163 a = 6.579304 AU n = 0.0584029 P = 16.88 years
- Publication:
-
Central Bureau Electronic Telegrams
- Pub Date:
- January 2012
- Bibcode:
- 2012CBET.2999....1W