Comet P/2012 U2 (Panstarrs)
Abstract
Richard Wainscoat, Henry Hsieh, and Bryce Bolin, University of Hawaii, report their discovery of a comet on four w-band 45-s exposures taken with the Pan-STARRS 1 telescope on Haleakala (discovery observations tabulated below); in each exposure, the object appears extended compared to adjacent stars. Follow-up R-band images obtained by Hsieh with the University of Hawaii 2.2-m telescope on Mauna Kea on Oct. 22 UT confirm that the object is clearly cometary, noting a coma that shows a slight extension to the southwest. After posting on the Minor Planet Center's NEOCP webpage, other CCD astrometrists have also commented on the object's cometary appearance. L. Buzzi (Varese, Italy; 0.60-m f/4.64 reflector; Oct. 23.2) finds the object to be clearly softer than stars nearby; a stack of images totalling 30 min of exposure time in good seeing reveals a strong central condensation surrounded by an 8" coma or red mag 19.5, possibly faintly extended to the west. H. Sato (Tokyo, Japan; remotely using a 0.43-m f/6.8 astrograph at the RAS Observatory near Mayhill, NM, U.S.A.; Oct. 23.4) writes that he measured a coma 8" in diameter with a faint tail 16" long toward p.a. 260 degrees. 2012 UT R.A. (2000) Decl. Mag. Oct. 21.55138 3 41 38.12 +10 02 19.7 20.7 21.56744 3 41 37.79 +10 02 15.4 20.6 21.58348 3 41 37.45 +10 02 11.1 20.4 21.59961 3 41 37.12 +10 02 06.8 20.4 The available astrometry (including prediscovery observations from the Mount Lemmon Survey on Oct. 20), the following preliminary elliptical orbital elements by G. V. Williams, and an ephemeris appear on MPEC 2012-U93. T = 2012 Aug. 27.8394 TT Peri. = 213.6793 e = 0.558845 Node = 184.2301 2000.0 q = 3.452330 AU Incl. = 9.9307 a = 7.825659 AU n = 0.0450218 P = 21.9 years
- Publication:
-
Central Bureau Electronic Telegrams
- Pub Date:
- October 2012
- Bibcode:
- 2012CBET.3268....1B