Comet P/2014 L1 = P/2003 U3 (NEAT)

Erwin Schwab reports the recovery of comet P/2003 U3 (cf. IAUC 8230) on CCD images obtained by P. Ruiz with a 1.0-m f/4.4 reflector at the European Space Agency's Optical Ground Station, Tenerife (with measurement assistance stated also by D. Koschny, M. Micheli, A. Knoefel, and M. Busch); the comet showed a coma and a tail 15"-20" long in p.a. 250 deg. 2014 UT R.A. (2000) Decl. Mag. Observer June 1.16958 22 07 01.89 -17 31 55.9 19.7 Ruiz 1.17711 22 07 02.26 -17 31 53.9 19.4 " 1.18466 22 07 02.68 -17 31 51.6 19.7 " 2.15897 22 07 53.40 -17 27 24.3 19.9 " 2.17062 22 07 54.05 -17 27 21.4 19.9 " 2.17852 22 07 54.42 -17 27 19.0 19.4 " The indicated correction to the prediction by G. V. Williams on MPC 75734 is Delta(T) = -1.80 days; the indicated correction to the prediction by S. Nakano in the ICQ's 2013 Comet Handbook is Delta(T) = -1.60 days. The following linked orbital elements by Williams (from 124 observations spanning 2003 Oct. 17-2014 June 2; mean residual 0".6) and an ephemeris appear on MPEC 2014-L12. Epoch = 2014 Oct. 30.0 TT T = 2014 Oct. 13.58461 TT Peri. = 357.01502 e = 0.5089168 Node = 348.02137 2000.0 q = 2.4877604 AU Incl. = 7.00373 a = 5.0658630 AU n = 0.08644182 P = 11.40 years