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Comet 36P/WHIPPLE - ( 1925 QD = 1933 U1 = 1940 R1)

Photometric data obtained by use of FOCAS-II software

                                   10x10  20x20  30x30  40x40  50x50  60x60   SNR   SB   COD

COMET         UTC                    +/-    +/-    +/-    +/-    +/-    +/-     N  FWHM  CAT

------------  -------------------  -----  -----  -----  -----  -----  -----  ----  ----  ---

36P           12/11/2020 22:40:12  18.42  18.27  17.97  17.69  17.56          5.2  17.8  B96

36P           12/11/2020 22:40:12*  0.12   0.24   0.18   0.12   0.22            3   3.7  Gai

36P           04/12/2020 21:07:14  18.70  18.38  18.45  18.22  18.11          5.0  17.7  B96

36P           04/12/2020 21:07:14*  0.00   0.00   0.00   0.00   0.00            1   3.8  Gai

                                                                     AFRHO         LOG

COMET         UTC                   DELTA    r    BOX "   MAG   RSR    CM    +/-  AFRHO  OBS

------------  -------------------   -----  -----  -----  -----  ---  -----  ----  -----  ---

36P           12/11/2020 22:40:12    2.17   3.14  12.72  18.38    5     20     4  1.295  B96

36P           04/12/2020 21:07:14    2.23   3.17  12.37  18.62    5     17     3  1.231  B96

Comet 36P on Kronk’s cometography

Discovery:

Fred L. Whipple (Harvard College Observatory, Massachusetts, USA) discovered this comet on the edge of a photograph exposed with the 115-cm Metcalf telescope on 1933 October 15.27. The magnitude was estimated as 13, while a tail was 3 arc minutes long. He confirmed the comet on October 21.12.

Several minor planets were exposed on plates taken with the 12-cm double astrograph of Simeis Observatory, Crimea, Ukraine on 21 sept. 1925 and this discovery was reported by G.A. Shajn. One of these was 1925 QD and it was first photographed on 1925 aug. 21.01. The only other photograph was obtained on Aug. 29.96. With these only 2 observations, this object was considered as lost. However S. Nakano (1988) announced a significant discovery. Upon integrating the orbit of comet 36P/WHIPPLE backwards and comparing the positions with other objects reported in the past, he found that ‘minor planet’ 1925 QD represented a pre-discovery apparation of this comet.

Recovery:

Predictions for the comet's next return were independently provided by D. H. Sadler and F. M. McBain, and H. Q. Rasmusen. Sadler and McBain determined the perihelion date as 1941 January 22.69, while Rasmusen determined it as January 13.34. Cunningham recovered the comet on 1940 September 1 and estimated the magnitude as 15. His position indicated the prediction of Sadler and McBain was only 0.23 day late. The comet attained a maximum magnitude of 14 during this apparition and was followed until 1941 November 22.