[IAUC] CBET 438: 20060323 : COMET C/2006 F1 (KOWALSKI)

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                                                  Electronic Telegram No. 438
Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION
M.S. 18, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A.
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CBAT en CFA.HARVARD.EDU (science)
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COMET C/2006 F1 (KOWALSKI)
     R. A. Kowalski reports the discovery of a comet on CCD images
taken in poor seeing (4" FWHM) with the 1.5-m reflector in the course
of the Mt. Lemmon Survey (discovery observation tabulated below); the
object appeared slightly condensed with a diameter of approximately 8",
elongated in p.a. approximately p.a. 265 deg (though no obvious tail).
On images taken with the same telescope by E. J. Christensen on Mar. 23.5
UT, the object displays a diffuse, round 8" coma and a 10" tail in p.a.
about 245 degrees.  CCD images taken by P. Birtwhistle with a 0.40-m f/6
Schmidt-Cassegrain reflector at Great Shefford, U.K., on Mar. 23.1 show
the object with a 8" coma and a tail 15" long in p.a. 245 deg.

     2006 UT             R.A. (2000) Decl.       Mag.
     Mar. 21.49155   16 21 29.96   + 2 00 22.3   18.8

     The available astrometry, the following parabolic orbital elements,
and an ephemeris appear on MPEC 2006-F20.

     T = 2007 May  19.709 TT          Peri. = 208.890
                                      Node  = 124.985   2000.0
     q = 1.93896 AU                   Incl. =  21.585


NOTE: These 'Central Bureau Electronic Telegrams' are sometimes
      superseded by text appearing later in the printed IAU Circulars.

                         (C) Copyright 2006 CBAT
2006 March 23                    (CBET 438)               Daniel W. E. Green