Comet C/2014 W9 (Panstarrs)
Abstract
L. Denneau and R. Wainscoat report the discovery of another comet in three w-band CCD exposures taken with the 1.8-m Pan-STARRS1 telescope at Haleakala on Nov. 22 (discovery observations tabulated below), the object showing a non-stellar appearance with what appears to be a broad, very-low- surface-brightness coma. 2014 UT R.A. (2000) Decl. Mag. Nov. 22.63535 11 33 48.45 +12 43 52.3 20.5 22.63930 11 33 49.01 +12 43 48.7 20.5 22.64324 11 33 49.57 +12 43 45.0 20.2 M. Micheli and Wainscoat write that three follow-up 60-s CCD exposures taken by queue observer D. Woodworth at the 3.6-m Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope atop Mauna Kea on Nov. 23.6 UT show subtle hints of cometary appearance (coma slightly soft with FWHM about 0".9 in 0".8 seeing) with a possible tail to the northwest; the red magnitude was given as 19.4-20.2. Wainscoat and Micheli obtained three additional 180-s exposures at the CFHT (queue observer Woodworth) on Nov. 25.6, noting a similar appearance (a nearly stellar coma), with the apparent tail to the northwest being enhanced by the longer exposure time. After the object was posted on the Minor Planet Center's PCCP webpage H.Sato, Tokyo, Japan, obtained twelve stacked 60-s exposures with an iTelescope 0.51-m f/6.8 astrograph (+ luminance filter) near Mayhill, NM, USA, on Nov. 23.5 to find w-band magnitude 19.6, with a moderately condensed but asymmetrical coma 8" in diameter.
- Publication:
-
Central Bureau Electronic Telegrams
- Pub Date:
- November 2014
- Bibcode:
- 2014CBET.4029....1D