[IAUC] CBET 3342: 20121213 : COMET P/2012 WX_32 = 1931 AN = 2003 WZ_141 (TOMBAUGH-TENAGRA)

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                                                  Electronic Telegram No. 3342
Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION
CBAT Director:  Daniel W. E. Green; Hoffman Lab 209; Harvard University;
 20 Oxford St.; Cambridge, MA  02138; U.S.A.
e-mail:  cbatiau en eps.harvard.edu (alternate cbat en iau.org)
URL http://www.cbat.eps.harvard.edu/index.html
Prepared using the Tamkin Foundation Computer Network


COMET P/2012 WX_32 = 1931 AN = 2003 WZ_141 (TOMBAUGH-TENAGRA)
     Syuichi Nakano, Sumoto, Japan, has identified comet P/2012 WX_32 (cf.
CBET 3329) with an apparently asteroidal object discovered by the LINEAR
survey on 2003 Nov. 21 and 23 (and given the minor-planet designation 2003
WZ_141; cf. MPS 92135) and with the comet found belatedly by Clyde Tombaugh
at Lowell Observatory in 1932 from plates exposed on January 1931 (discovery
observations tabulated below; see also IAUC 6161, and MPC 24423 and 24544),
as outlined by D. H. Levy et al. (1995, Int. Comet Q. 17, 52); Levy et al.
noted the comet to be diffuse with strong condensation with a tail at least
2' long in p.a. about 270 deg on those 1931 plates.  Spacewatch astrometry
of 2003 WZ_141 from 2003 Dec. 18 gave magnitude 17-18.

     1931 UT             R.A. (2000) Decl.       Mag.   Observer
     Jan. 11.25903    8 34 50.84   +33 42 38.1   12.5   Tombaugh
          12.28750    8 34 15.36   +33 53 20.8            "
          13.28681    8 33 38.39   +34 04 04.6            "

The following orbital elements by G. V. Williams (from 125 observations
spanning 1931 Jan. 12-2012 Dec. 13; mean residual 0".53), along with
residuals and an ephemeris, appear on MPEC 2012-X79.

                    Epoch = 1931 Jan. 19.0 TT
     T = 1931 Jan. 15.24391 TT        Peri. =  34.47426
     e = 0.4387011                    Node  =  85.67590 2000.0
     q = 2.4368809 AU                 Incl. =  16.19522
       a =  4.3415034 AU   n = 0.10895417   P =   9.05 years

                    Epoch = 2004 Mar. 16.0 TT
     T = 2004 Mar.  9.83331 TT        Peri. =  39.52546
     e = 0.4350130                    Node  =  83.57298 2000.0
     q = 2.4669499 AU                 Incl. =  16.05033
       a =  4.3663836 AU   n = 0.10802425   P =   9.12 years

                    Epoch = 2013 Mar.  9.0 TT
     T = 2013 Feb. 23.35003 TT        Peri. =  38.45834
     e = 0.4400716                    Node  =  81.36298 2000.0
     q = 2.4418922 AU                 Incl. =  15.83852
       a =  4.3610795 AU   n = 0.10822138   P =   9.11 years


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

                         (C) Copyright 2012 CBAT
2012 December 13                 (CBET 3342)              Daniel W. E. Green