[IAUC] IAUC 9182: C/2010 U3 [25139-2011/04-R1]

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                                                  Circular No. 9182
Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION
New postal address:  Hoffman Lab 209; Harvard University;
 20 Oxford St.; Cambridge, MA  02138; U.S.A.
CBATIAU en EPS.HARVARD.EDU           ISSN 0081-0304
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Prepared using the Tamkin Foundation Computer Network


COMET C/2010 U3 (BOATTINI)
     A. Boattini reports his discovery of a faint comet with a
moderately diffuse coma that is 6"-7" wide and a central
condensation that is about 3"-4" in size on four 30-s co-added CCD
exposures taken with the Mt. Lemmon 1.5-m reflector in Arizona
(discovery observation tabulated below); the coma elongated in p.a.
330 deg (no clear tail).  After posting on the 'NEOCP' webpage,
other CCD astrometrists have also noted the object's cometary
appearance, including W. H. Ryan (R-band images, Magdalena Ridge
2.4-m reflector; Nov. 1.2 UT; diffuse with a tail in p.a. about
300 deg; his images from Nov. 3.2, 4.2, and 5.2 show the tail in
p.a. about 330 deg); L. Elenin (Lyubertsy, Russia; unfiltered
exposures taken remotely, 0.45-m f/2.8 astrograph, ISON-NM
Observatory near Mayhill, NM, USA; Nov. 1.4; coma diameter about
10", faint tail about 13" long in p.a. 335 deg); S. Foglia (10"
coma, wide tail toward p.a. 330 deg on frames taken by P. Miller,
P. Roche, A. Tripp, and himself; 2.0-m 'Faulkes Telescope North' at
Haleakala; Nov. 1.6); A. Novichonok (Kondopoga, Russia; images
taken by V. Gerke, Moscow, remotely, 0.40-m telescope at Ka-Dar
Observatory, TAU Station, Nizhniy Arkhyz; Nov. 1.78; round, very
diffuse coma of diameter 0'.3, total mag 18.2); E. Romas (Rostov-na-
Donu, Russia) and Novichonok (0.50-m reflector, Kislovodsk Mountain
Station, Pulkovo Observatory; Nov. 1.9; diffuse coma, diameter 22",
with a strong central condensation of mag about 19.5 and a 25" tail
in p.a. 330 deg); J. E. McGaha (Tucson, AZ, U.S.A., 0.36-m
reflector; Nov. 2.32-2.37; 18" coma elongated in p.a. 315 deg; no
tail); E. Guido, N. Howes, and G. Sostero (frames obtained remotely,
2.0-m 'Faulkes Telescope South'; Nov. 2.55; diffuse coma about 3"
in diameter); S. Foglia and T. Vorobjov (images taken by R. Holmes,
Ashmore, IL, U.S.A., 0.76-m reflector, Nov. 3.2; 10" coma and a 30"
tail in p.a. 330 deg); G. Hug (Scranton, KS, U.S.A., 0.56-m
reflector; Nov. 3.3; diffuse with no detectable tail); and L. Buzzi
(Varese, Italy, 0.60-m reflector, Nov. 4.96; diffuse 9" coma; faint,
broad tail about 12" long centered at p.a. about 355 deg).

     2010 UT             R.A. (2000) Decl.       Mag.   Observer
     Oct. 31.33341    2 35 22.84   + 9 15 39.4   19.4   Boattini

The available astrometry, the following very preliminary parabolic
orbital elements by B. G. Marsden, and an ephemeris appear on MPEC
2010-V55.

     T = 2016 Oct. 17.014 TT          Peri. =  52.271
                                      Node  =  48.173   2000.0
     q = 11.46126 AU                  Incl. =  31.063

                      (C) Copyright 2010 CBAT
2010 November 5                (9182)            Daniel W. E. Green