Copyright © All rights reserved. Made By Erik Bryssinck  Terms of use  |  Privacy policy

Comet C/2009 K2 (CATALINA)

Discovery:  [ IAUC 9045 ]

An apparently asteroidal object discovered by the Catalina Sky Survey (observer R. A. Kowalski), and posted on the Minor Planet Center's 'NEOCP' confirmation page, has been found by CCD astrometrists to show cometary appearance. W. H. Ryan (Magdalena Ridge 2.4-m reflector, near Socorro, NM; May 18.4 UT) notes a distinct tail in p.a. approximately 200 deg. J. Young (Table Mountain 0.61-m reflector) reports a bright, well-defined coma of diameter 5" with a poorly defined 16" extension in p.a. about 235 deg on images taken during May 18.43-18.46 (light cirrus clouds present); he adds that additional images from May 19.33- 19.35 show a small bright coma with a definite broad tail spanning p.a. 210-250 deg, its greatest length being 14" in p.a. 235 deg. L. Bittesini, D. Di Maria, E. Pettarin, and F. Piani (Farra D'Isonzo, Italy, 0.40-m reflector; May 18.9) find that forty co-added 60-s exposures reveal a 10" coma that is elongated in p.a. 190 deg. P. Birtwhistle (Great Shefford, Berkshire, England, 0.40-m reflector; May 18.9) reports an almost-stellar center of diameter 4" with a 6" tail in p.a. 210 deg. E. Guido, Castellammare di Stabia, Italy, writes that G. Sostero and he co-added 33 unfiltered 120-s exposures obtained remotely with a 0.25-m f/3.4 reflector near Mayhill, NM, U.S.A., on May 19.2, revealing a tiny, compact coma about 7" in diameter with a tail about 12" long toward p.a. 240 deg. 2009 UT R.A. (2000) Decl. Mag. Observer May 18.33287 16 39 44.35 +60 58 07.0 19.4 Catalina The available astrometry, the following very preliminary orbital elements, and an ephemeris appear on MPEC 2009-K20. T = 2010 Aug. 18.870 TT Peri. = 162.060 Node = 112.706 2000.0 q = 3.83854 AU Incl. = 70.910