Comet C/2013 P4 (Panstarrs)
Abstract
Richard Wainscoat, Peter Veres, Marco Micheli, Larry Denneau, and Bryce Bolin report the discovery of a comet in CCD exposures from the Pan-STARRS1 telescope on Haleakala (discovery observations tabulated below); the object showed a distinctly non-stellar appearance, was a coma extending for about 5", appearing as an asymmetric coma or with a possible tail extending towards position angle approximately 190 degrees. Follow-up images obtained on Aug. 16.46 UT with the 2.24-m University of Hawaii reflector by Micheli (and measured with D. J. Tholen) show the object to be clearly diffuse. After posting on the Minor Planet Center's NEOCP webpage, other CCD astrometrists have commented on the object's cometary appearance. H. Sato (Tokyo, Japan) obtained images remotely with an iTelescope.net 0.43-m f/6.8 astrograph (+ luminance filter) at Siding Spring on Aug. 17.8 that show a 10" coma of mag 19.4 as measured within a circular aperture of radius 5".5; no tail was visible in sixteen stacked 60-s exposures. Follow-up images with a 0.51-m f/6.8 astrograph (+ luminance filter) at Siding Spring on Aug. 26.5 show an outer coma 25" in diameter of magnitude 17.9 as measured within a circular aperture of radius 13".0, and again with no tail. E. Guido (Castellammare di Stabia, Italy) reports that nine stacked 60-s R-band images taken remotely by K. Rochowicz, N. Howes, and himself on Aug. 26.5 with the 2.0-m f/10 "Faulkes Telescope South" at Siding Spring show a sharp central condensation surrounded by a coma of diameter about 15". 2013 UT R.A. (2000) Decl. Mag. Aug. 15.49380 22 51 52.27 - 1 49 54.6 20.8 15.50936 22 51 51.97 - 1 49 56.0 20.8 15.52491 22 51 51.69 - 1 49 57.3 20.8 15.54046 22 51 51.39 - 1 49 58.7 20.8 The available astrometry, the following preliminary parabolic orbital elements by G. V. Williams, and an ephemeris appear on MPEC 2013-Q34. T = 2015 June 23.5919 TT Peri. = 157.5038 Node = 256.8410 2000.0 q = 4.404715 AU Incl. = 4.3316
- Publication:
-
Central Bureau Electronic Telegrams
- Pub Date:
- August 2013
- Bibcode:
- 2013CBET.3638....1W