Circular No. 7570

Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION

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COMET C/2001 B1 (LINEAR)

M. Blythe, Lincoln Laboratory, reports the discovery by LINEAR of an apparent comet. Additional observations have been received following posting on the NEO Confirmation Page. Available CCD astrometry:

2001 UT α_{2000} δ_{2000} m_{1} Observer
Jan. 22.08228 3^{h}23^{m}46.^{s}32 −28^{o}07′22′′.5 17.7 LINEAR
22.09833 3 23 45.34 −28 06 55.7 17.8  _{”}
22.11385 3 23 44.60 −28 06 32.0 17.6  _{”}
22.12940 3 23 43.74 −28 06 06.4 17.4  _{”}
22.14645 3 23 42.75 −28 05 39.4 17.3  _{”}
23.75600 3 22 18.65 −27 22 11.1 16.4 Tichý
23.75828 3 22 18.57 −27 22 05.8  _{”}
23.75984 3 22 18.43 −27 22 03.8  _{”}
23.76100 3 22 18.32 −27 22 02.9 16.4  _{”}
24.42896 3 21 45.31 −27 04 02.9  Garradd
24.43194 3 21 45.03 −27 03 58.2  _{”}
24.43360 3 21 45.08 −27 03 56.3  _{”}
24.43571 3 21 44.98 −27 03 52.2  _{”}

LINEAR (Lincoln Laboratory ETS). Observers M. Blythe, F. Shelly, M. Bezpalko, M. Elowitz, R. Huber, and L. Manguso. Measurers J. Stuart, R. Sayer, J. B. Evans, and H. Viggh. 1.0-m f/2.15 reflector.

M. Tichý and M. Kočer (Kleť). 0.57-m f/5.2 reflector. Object diffuse. G. J. Garradd (Loomberah). 0.45-m f/5.4 reflector. Faint coma of diameter

∼ 10′′ on 30-s exposures; m_{2} = 18.1.

Preliminary parabolic orbital elements from the above observations:

T = 2000 Sept. 2.743 TT  ω = 279.^{o}003
Ω = 49.247 }2000.0
q = 2.81871 AU  i = 104.926
2001 TT α_{2000}  δ_{2000}  Δ  r  ϵ  β  m_{1}
Jan. 21 3^{h}24.^{m}78 −28^{o}36.^{′}8 2.911 3.157 95.^{o}2 18.^{o}1 16.3
31 3 17.23 −24 11.7 3.084 3.203 87.9 17.9 16.5
Feb. 10 3 13.04 −20 05.3 3.272 3.251 80.1 17.4 16.7
20 3 11.45 −16 20.1 3.468 3.302 72.2 16.6 16.9
Mar. 2 3 11.88 −12 56.1 3.665 3.354 64.2 15.4 17.1
2001 January 24  \begin{matrix}c \\ ◯ \end{matrix} Copyright 2001 CBAT  Daniel W. E. Green