[IAUC] IAUC 8889: COMET 17P/HOLMES; C/2007 L12, C/2007 L13,, C/2007 M4 [25139-2008/05-R1]
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Circular No. 8889
Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION
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COMET 17P/HOLMES
D. Schleicher, Lowell Observatory, obtained eight sets of
narrowband photometry of comet 17P/Holmes on Nov. 1 (r = 2.47 AU)
using the Hall 1.1-m telescope at Lowell Observatory. Projected
aperture radii ranged from 14500 to 120200 km, and derived
production rates exhibited large trends with aperture size for all
species -- with the highest values always at the largest apertures,
consistent with a slowly decreasing rate of overall activity since
the initial outburst. Production-rate ranges for each species are:
log Q(OH) = 29.60-29.80; equivalent log Q(water; vectorial) =
29.54-29.74; log Q(NH) = 27.65-27.89; log Q(CN) = 27.26-27.51; log
Q(C_2) = 27.33-27.61; log Q(C_3) = 26.64-26.87; log [Af(rho)] (526
nm) = 5.13-5.74 (cf. IAUC 7342). The resulting abundance ratios
indicate that comet 17P has 'typical' composition (based on A'Hearn
et al. 1995, Icarus 118, 223), but an exceptionally high dust-to-
gas ratio, possibly associated with the finite lifetimes of the gas
molecules released at the onset of the outburst as compared to long-
lived dust grains. A significant contribution to relatively high
dust abundance may also be caused by a portion of the dust tail
remaining within the photometer apertures due to projection effects
from the comet's small phase angle.
Further naked-eye total-magnitude estimates (cf. IAUC 8887):
Oct. 27.63 UT, 2.4 (Y. Nagai, Gunma, Japan); 28.10, 2.5 (J. Rao,
Putnam Valley, NY, U.S.A.); 28.75, 2.5 (H. Dahle, Les Olives,
France); 29.54, 2.3 (S. Yoshida, Ibaraki, Japan); 30.76, 2.4 (T.
Karhula, Vasteras, Sweden); 31.76, 2.5 (K. Cernis, Vilnius,
Lithuania); Nov. 1.79, 2.3 (J. J. Gonzalez, Leon, Spain); 2.96, 2.5
(A. Pereira, Cabo da Roca, Portugal).
COMETS C/2007 L12, C/2007 L13, AND C/2007 M4 (SOHO)
Further to IAUC 8888, additional Kreutz sungrazing comets have
been found on SOHO website images ("discovery" observations
tabulated below). C/2007 L12 was extremely faint (mag about 8.5-
9.0). C/2007 L13 and C/2007 M4 were stellar (mag about 5.5) in C3
images. C/2007 L13 appeared slightly diffuse with a very faint
tail in C2 images. C/2007 M4 was slightly diffuse and showed a
short, thin, faint tail in C2 images.
Comet 2007 UT R.A.(2000)Decl. Inst. F MPEC
C/2007 L12 June 14.854 5 25.8 +21 22 C2 RM 2007-T122
C/2007 L13 15.138 5 26.2 +19 58 C3/2 AK 2007-T122
C/2007 M4 24.696 6 01.0 +19 16 C3/2 TH 2007-U15
(C) Copyright 2007 CBAT
2007 November 2 (8889) Daniel W. E. Green
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