Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann
Abstract
Following are CCD observations of the primary component and the new secondary component that have been reported to the Central Bureau. K. Kadota, Ageo, Japan, found magnitude 12.0 for component BT and mag 13.9 for the primary component on Feb. 10.85 UT (0.25-m f/5 reflector). F. Kugel, Banon, France, notes that T. Noel had detected component BT on Feb. 10.35 and alerted Kugel, who then obtained images together with C. Rinner on Feb. 11.22 with a 0.4-m f/3 reflector, which showed the secondary component to be at red magnitude 13.7 in an aperture of size 5".5, compared to mag 15.5 for the primary component in the same aperture; component BT was located 48".6 in p.a. 317 degrees from the primary, and the secondary showed a circular coma of size around 0'.5 with magnitude 11.3 in an aperture of size 12". Unfiltered images obtained by A. Maury and J.-F. Soulier with a 0.4-m f/5.4 Ritchey- Chretien reflector at San Pedro de Atacama, Chile, on Feb. 11.32-11.39 show component BT to be stellar in appearance with magnitude 12.6 in an aperture of radius 0'.33, while the primary component had a coma diameter of about 26" and a tail about 40" long in p.a. 285 deg; they measured the magnitude of BT to be 13.2 in an aperture of radius 6".2, compared to mag 15.0 for the primary component in the same aperture. E. Bryssinck, Kruibeke, Belgium, writes that unfiltered images taken by F. J. Hambsch and himself on Feb. 11.36 with a 0.4-m f/6.8 reflector at San Pedro de Atacama, Chile, shows component BT as a stellar object of red mag 12.9 (vs. 14.8 for the primary component) in an aperture of radius 5".5, with BT located 37" in p.a. 298 degrees from the primary; the primary showed a coma diameter of 32" and a tail 21" long in p.a. 287 deg.
- Publication:
-
Central Bureau Electronic Telegrams
- Pub Date:
- February 2017
- Bibcode:
- 2017CBET.4359....2K