[IAUC] CBET 439: 20060323 : COMET 73P/SCHWASSMANN_WACHMANN

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                                                  Electronic Telegram No. 439
Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION
M.S. 18, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A.
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COMET 73P/SCHWASSMANN_WACHMANN
     The components H, J and L, mentioned on IAUC 8685 on Mar. 8, were
reobserved by P. Birtwhistle, Great Shefford, Berkshire, England, on
Mar. 23.1 UT and by E. J. Christensen, Mount Lemmon Survey, on Mar. 23.5.
The magnitudes were given as 18.9, 19.9 and 21.0, respectively, by
Birtwhistle, who adds that component H had a coma of diameter 9" and
a tail 40" long in p.a. 255 deg, that component J had a coma of diameter
9" and a tail 20" long in p.a. 230 deg, and that component L had a very
diffuse coma of diameter 5" and a possible tail 15" long in p.a. 245 deg.
Neither observer recorded component K, but both observers independently
reported two new components, designated M and N, estimated by Birtwhistle at
mag 20.8 and 21.4, respectively, the former having a diameter of no more
than 4" and no tail, and the latter having a stellar head and a faint
tail 70" (possibly up to 90") long in p.a. 255 deg.  The astrometric
observations are provided on MPEC 2006-F22.
     The new components M and N are in the vicinity of component H and,
using the earlier orbit (MPEC 2006-B27) for component B with perihelion time
adjusted as before, they correspond to T = 2006 June 8.28 and 8.30 TT,
respectively, although component N lies perhaps 40 arcsec north of the line
of variation.


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      superseded by text appearing later in the printed IAU Circulars.

                         (C) Copyright 2006 CBAT
2006 March 23                    (CBET 439)               Brian G. Marsden