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Comet C/2008 T2 (CARDINAL)

Discovery: ( IAUC 8993 )

Rob D. Cardinal of the Rothney Astrophysical Observatory discovered an apparently 16th magnitude asteroidal object with the University of Calgary 0.50-m f/1.0 reflector at Priddis on 2008 oct. 1.16 UT, and posted on the Minor Planet Center's 'NEOCP' webpage has been found to show cometary appearance by other CCD astrometrists. W. H. Ryan (Magdalena Ridge Observatory, Socorro, NM, U.S.A., 2.4-m f/8.9 reflector, Oct. 8.38-8.39 UT, poor seeing) writes that the object appears somewhat fuzzy with an apparent tail in p.a. 315 deg. G. Hug (Scranton, KS, U.S.A., 0.56-m reflector, Oct. 8.4) finds a short, diffuse coma extension in p.a. about 300 deg.  Y. Ikari (Moriyama, Shiga-ken, Japan, 0.26-m reflector, Oct. 8.4) notes a coma diameter of 0'.3.  J. Young (Table Mountain 0.61-m reflector, Oct. 8.5) reports a bright round coma of mag 14.5 and diameter 12" with a wide, fan-shaped tail spanning p.a. 240 deg (where its edge is poorly defined) to 330 deg (where its edge is well defined, and where it extends to 1').