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Comet 246P/NEAT - ( = P/2004 F3 (NEAT) )

Periodic (8.8 years) comet discovered in 2004. (Initial name P/2004 F3 (NEAT) )

Photometric data obtained via FOCAS-II software

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

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

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

246P          21/03/2020 23:06:11  15.63  15.17  15.02  14.96  14.94  14.94  30.0  18.1  B96

246P          21/03/2020 23:06:11*  0.06   0.13   0.14   0.14   0.15   0.15     2   3.6  Gai

246P          22/03/2020 22:37:30  15.69  15.25  15.11  15.03  15.01  15.04  30.5  18.2  B96

246P          22/03/2020 22:37:30*  0.02   0.05   0.06   0.07   0.06   0.05     3   3.6  Gai

246P          23/03/2020 22:34:17  15.62  15.20  15.04  14.96  14.93  14.90  19.5  18.0  B96

246P          23/03/2020 22:34:17*  0.01   0.00   0.03   0.04   0.03   0.01     2   3.7  Gai

                                                                     AFRHO         LOG

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

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

246P          21/03/2020 23:06:11    2.41   3.35  11.45  15.48   30    403    13  2.605  B96

246P          22/03/2020 22:37:30    2.40   3.35  11.47  15.54   31    378    12  2.577  B96

246P          23/03/2020 22:34:17    2.40   3.35  11.48  15.49   20    395    20  2.596  B96

COMET P/2004 F3 (NEAT) - IAUC 8313

     The NEAT  (Near Earth Asteroid Tracking) program reports the discovery of a comet on images taken with the 1.2-m reflector at Haleakala (discovery observation below), with a tail about 5" long toward the west.  Following WWW posting on the NEO Confirmation Page, numerous observers have reported on the object's cometary appearance on CCD images taken during Mar. 28.9-29.4 UT, including F. Hormuth, J. Ticha and M. Tichy, P. Kusnirak, B. L. Stevens, J. Young, and G. Hug -- the object generally showing a coma diameter of 8"-30", total magnitude

as bright as 16, and a faint tail approximately 20"-40" long spanning p.a. 240-285 deg.

Recovery: Comet HOWELL P/2004 F3 (cf. IAUC 8313) has been recovered on CCD images obtained at two observatories (initial astrometry tabulated below). E. Romas (Rostov-na-Donu, Russia), A. Novichonok (Kondopoga, Russia), and D. Chestnov (Saransk, Russia) write that forty stacked 120-s images obtained on Nov. 2.0 UT with the 0.5-m f/8.3 Maksutov-Cassegrain reflector at the Kislovodsk Mountain Astronomical Station of Pulkovo Observatory show a round, condensed coma of diameter 10" and a 7" tail in p.a. 300 deg. G. Hug (Scranton, KS, U.S.A.) found the comet to be slightly diffuse on images taken with a 0.56-m reflector. The indicated correction to the prediction on MPC 69908 is Delta(T) = -0.02 day. 2010 UT R.A. (2000) Decl. Mag. Observer Nov. 2.00192 9 36 52.53 +26 27 56.8 Romas 3.45706 9 37 44.94 +26 29 09.2 20.4 Hug Additional astrometry, revised orbital elements by B. G. Marsden (epoch = 2013 Jan. 28.0 TT, T = 2013 Jan. 28.7166 TT, q = 2.879762 AU, e = 0.285069, Peri. = 176.1893 deg, Node = 78.7805 deg, i = 15.9719 deg, equinox 2000.0, P = 8.08 years), residuals, and an ephemeris appear on MPEC 2010-V47.  And IAUC 9176 issued on 2010 nov. 4.

Last updated: 2020-10-20