Electronic Telegram No. 4177
Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
Mailing address:  Hoffman Lab 209; Harvard University;
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Prepared using the Tamkin Foundation Computer Network


COMET C/2015 T5 (SHEPPARD-THOLEN)
     D. J. Tholen, University of Hawaii, reports the discovery of an unknown
comet in three images taken with the 8.2-m Subaru telescope by himself with C.
Trujillo, the comet being first noticed in the images by S. Sheppard.  Tholen
notes that the static images show a tail extending at least 8" in position
angle 235 deg; however, while blinking the images, it may be possible to see a
tail twice as long as that.

     2015 UT             R.A. (2000) Decl.       Mag.   Observer
     Oct. 13.25567    0 07 26.90   +12 05 45.8   21.6   Tholen
          13.34117    0 07 25.62   +12 05 37.9   21.6     "
          13.48758    0 07 23.42   +12 05 24.2   21.6     "

The object was posted on the Minor Planet Center's PCCP webpage, but no
other reports of cometary activity have been received.  The available
astrometry (through Nov. 13), the following preliminary elliptical orbital
elements, and an ephemeris appear on MPEC 2015-V167.

     T = 2016 Sept. 2.1524 TT         Peri. =  72.5958
     e = 0.709704                     Node  = 310.7420  2000.0
     q = 9.181726 AU                  Incl. =  10.9874
       a = 31.628871 AU    n = 0.0055409    P = 177.9 years


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      superseded by text appearing later in the printed IAU Circulars.

                         (C) Copyright 2015 CBAT
2015 November 16                 (CBET 4177)              Daniel W. E. Green