CBAT Asteoidi

COMET C/2006 WD4 (LEMMON)
     E. Guido and G. Sostero, Castellammare di Stabia, Italy, report that
their remote CCD observations with a 0.15-m f/6 reflector at the Rent-a-Scope
Observatory at Biggera Waters, Queensland, show the Mt. Lemmon discovery
2006 WD4 (cf. MPEC 2006-W61, MPC 189005; discovery observation below) to be
a comet.  The coaddition of eleven unfiltered 60-s exposures on Apr. 30.80 UT
revealed the presence of a spiral-like symmetric coma, spanning almost 20
arcsec, from p.a. 240 deg to p.a. 30 deg (in a counterclockwise direction);
the total mag was close to 14.2 and that of the condensation 15.3-15.4.
The coaddition of nine similar exposures (but in less satisfactory conditions)
on May 2.80 UT showed the presence of an elliptical coma measuring nearly
12 by 18 arcsec, the major axis tilted along a line close to p.a. 235 deg;
the total mag was about 14.1 and that of the condensation 15.4.

COMET C/2006 WD_4 (LEMMON)
     E. Guido and G. Sostero, Castellammare di Stabia, Italy,
report that their remote CCD observations with a 0.15-m f/6
reflector at the 'Rent-a-Scope' Observatory at Biggera Waters,
Queensland, show the Mt. Lemmon discovery 2006 WD_4 (cf. MPEC
2006-W61, MPC 189005; discovery observation tabulated below) to be
a comet.  The co-addition of eleven unfiltered 60-s exposures on
Apr. 30.80 UT revealed the presence of a spiral-like symmetric coma,
spanning almost 20", from p.a. 240 deg to p.a. 30 deg (in a
counterclockwise direction); the total magnitude was close to 14.2,
and that of the condensation was 15.3-15.4.  The coaddition of nine
similar exposures (but in less satisfactory conditions) on May 2.80
showed the presence of an elliptical coma measuring nearly 12" x
18", the major axis tilted along a line close to p.a. 235 deg; the
total mag was about 14.1 and that of the condensation 15.4.

COMET C/2007 JA_21 (LINEAR)
     An apparently asteroidal object reported by the LINEAR survey
(discovery observation posted below; prematurely announced as 2007
JA_21 on MPEC 2007-J52) has been found by several observers to show
cometary appearance following posting on the Minor Planet Center's
'NEOCP' webpage.  Q.-z. Ye reports that three stacked 30-s CCD
exposures obtained with the Lulin Observatory 0.41-m Ritchey-
Chretien reflector on May 12.82 UT show a coma of diameter about 3"
with an apparent but uncertain very faint tail around 7"-10" long
in p.a. about 45 deg.  J. G. Ries writes that her R-band images
obtained with the McDonald Observatory 0.76-m reflector on May 13.4
show the comet to be diffuse with a tail approximately 10"-13" long
toward the north-northeast.  Also, G. Sostero reports that forty
co-added 120-s unfiltered CCD frames taken by L. Donato, M. Gonano,
V. Gonano, E. Guido, and himself with a 0.45-m reflector at
Remanzacco, Italy, during May 13.91-13.98 show a compact coma
nearly 10" in diameter (giving the object's magnitude as 18.7-18.8).

COMET P/2007 H1 (McNAUGHT)
     Additional observations of this comet (cf. IAUC 8830),
published on MPEC 2007-J35, yield the following elliptical orbital
elements:

COMET C/2007 K1 (LEMMON)
     An apparently asteroidal object discovered by the Mt. Lemmon
Survey (discovery observation tabulated below), and posted on the
Minor Planet Center's 'NEOCP' webpage, has been found to appear
cometary by other observers.  M. Tichy and J. Ticha (Klet 1.06-m
reflector) find the object to be slightly diffuse on their images
from May 19.97.  G. Sostero reports that 53 unfiltered co-added
60-s CCD images taken on May 20.9 UT with a 0.45-m reflector show
that the object is nearly 30 percent wider than nearby field stars
of similar brightness.  D. Balam, University of Victoria, writes
that images taken by R. Robb with the 1.82-m Plaskett telescope
show a 10" coma on May 24.3, while 21 co-added 360-s exposures with
a Cousins R filter (though marginally transparent sky) on May 25.3
reveal a 20" coma.

COMET P/2007 K2 (GIBBS)
     A. R. Gibbs reports his discovery of a comet on Catalina Sky
Survey images obtained with the 0.68-m Schmidt telescope (discovery
observation tabulated below), the object described as diffuse with
a 15" coma elongated 10" in p.a. 110 deg in good seeing on four co-
added 30-s unfiltered CCD frames.  Following posting on the 'NEOCP',
Balam reports that six co-added 66-s images taken (as above) by R.
Robb on May 24.25 UT show a faint coma of diameter 6".3 (FWHM) in
2".1 seeing (FWHM).

COMET C/2007 K4 (GIBBS)
     A. R. Gibbs reports his discovery of a comet on Catalina Sky
Survey images taken with the 0.68-m Schmidt telescope (discovery
observation tabulated below), the object noted as having a compact
9" coma and a 15" tail spanning p.a. 0-30 deg on four co-added 30-s
unfiltered CCD images taken in good seeing.  Following posting on
the Minor Planet Center's 'NEOCP' webpage, R. H. McNaught writes
that his images of this object with the 0.5-m Uppsala Schmidt
telescope on May 25.6 UT show a 10" coma and a possible tail to the
north.  Also, R. E. Hill reports that four co-added 30-s Mt.
Lemmon images from May 26.35-26.36 show a broad tail about 1' long
in p.a. 10 deg and a slight coma about 2"-3" in diameter.

COMET 2007 K5
     T. Lovejoy, Thornlands, Queensland, Australia, reports his
discovery of a comet on twelve 90-s CCD images obtained on May 26
with a 200-mm f/2.8 camera lens, the object reported as circular,
1' across, with a clear blue-green color but no tail.  J. Drummond
(Gisborne, New Zealand, 0.20-m f/4.6 reflector) writes that his
confirming images from May 28, obtained at altitude about 15 deg,
show a moderately condensed coma of diameter about 1' and no tail.
The following reported positions include precise astrometry by R. H.
McNaught from images obtained with the 0.5-m Uppsala Schmidt
telescope at Siding Spring, who reported a circular coma 0'.6 in
diameter.  Additional accurate astrometry is needed.

COMET C/2007 K6 (McNAUGHT)
     R. H. McNaught reports his discovery of another comet on 0.5-m
Uppsala Schmidt telescope images obtained in the course of the
Siding Spring Survey (discovery observation tabulated below), the
object displaying a marginal coma of diameter about 6".  Additional
images by McNaught on May 30.8 UT show an almost, but-not-quite-
asteroidal appearance in excellent seeing, the coma diameter given
as 4" (FWHM).

COMET C/2007 K5 (LOVEJOY)
     Additional precise astrometry of this comet (cf. IAUC 8840)
has been published on MPEC 2007-K80, where the following
preliminary parabolic orbital elements also appear:

COMET C/2007 JA_21 (LINEAR)
     Further to IAUC 8837, J. Young reports that his CCD images
taken on May 14.29-14.36 UT with the Table Mountain 0.61-m f/16
Cassegrain reflector show a coma of diameter 5"-6" that was
slightly elongated along the comet's path of motion, with a faint
fan-shaped tail extending 20" spanning p.a. 315-25 deg.  Improved
orbital elements from MPEC 2007-K78:

COMET 96P/MACHHOLZ
     D. Schleicher, Lowell Observatory, obtained three sets of
narrowband photometry of comet 96P on May 12 (r = 1.07 AU) using
the Hall 1.1-m telescope at Lowell Observatory, with the following
averaged results:  log Q(OH) = 27.33; equivalent log Q(water;
vectorial) = 27.45; log Q(NH) = 25.47; log Q(CN) = 22.4; log Q(C_2)
= 23.7; log Q(C_3) = 22.3; log Af(rho) = 1.5 (cf. IAUC 7342).  The
resulting abundance ratios indicate that, while the NH-to-OH ratio
is on the high side of the normal range, the CN-to-OH ratio is low
by about a factor of 200; C_2 and C_3 are also low but by factors
of 10-20 from "typical" composition (based on A'Hearn et al. 1995,
Icarus 118, 223).  A single observation on May 24 (r = 1.30 AU)
shows production rates having decreased by a factor of 1.7, but to
within uncertainties (3 times for CN and C_3, and much smaller for
other species), production-rate ratios are confirmed.  This
extremely low CN-to-OH ratio for 96P indicates that it is either
compositionally associated with comet C/1988 Y1 (Yanaka; 1988r =
1988 XXIV), which was strongly depleted in CN and C_2 but not NH_2
(Fink 1992, Science 257, 1926), or represents a new compositional
class of comets, since C/1988 Y1 had a much greater depletion of
C_2 (> 100x) than does 96P.

COMETS C/2007 A4-A7, C/2007 B4-B6, C/2007 C3-C13 (SOHO)
     The "discovery" data for additional near-sun comets found on
SOHO website images are tabulated below (cf. IAUC 8819) -- all
being Kreutz sungrazers except C/2007 A6 and C/2007 C10 (Meyer
group) and C/2007 A7, C/2007 C7, and C/2007 C12 (no known group).
C/2007 A4 and C/2007 A5 were small and stellar in appearance in C3-
coronagraph images; in C2 images, C/2007 A4 was tailless and
slightly diffuse.  C/2007 A6 and C/2007 C10 were small and stellar
in appearance, of mag about 7.  C/2007 A7 was stellar in appearance,
peaking at mag about 6 but dying out rapidly.  C/2007 B6 was
brighter (mag about 5) with a hint of a tail.  C/2007 C3 reached
mag about 4 and showed a very short, faint tail.  C/2007 C6 reached
mag about 3; it showed a very faint, thin tail about 0.5 deg long
in C2 images.  C/2007 C7 peaked at mag 7.5 and faded gradually,
being tiny and stellar in appearance.  C/2007 C11 was stellar in
appearance, reaching mag about 6.  C/2007 C12 was stellar in
appearance with a hint of a tail; it brightened (reaching mag about
7) then died rapidly.  C/2007 C13 was brighter (peaking at mag
about 3.5), showing a short, "headless" tail about 20' long in C2
images.  The remaining six objects appeared stellar and very faint
with no tail.  'MU' = M. Uchina.

COMETS C/2006 A8 AND C/2006 Y10-Y17 (SOHO)
     Nine additional near-sun comets have been found on 2006 SOHO
website images (cf. IAUC 8844), all being Kreutz sungrazers except
apparently for C/2006 Y12.  C/2006 A8 was stellar in appearance and
very faint (mag approximately 7-7.5) with no tail.  All of the
remaining objects that were visible in C3 images appeared therein
as small and stellar; all of the remaining objects that were
visible in C2 images appeared therein as tailless and slightly
diffuse, except for C/2006 Y12, which was faint yet more stellar in
appearance and unusually small.  In the table below, new finder 'AW'
= A. Watson.

COMETS C/2007 D4, C/2007 D5, C/2007 E4, C/2007 E5 (SOHO)
     Four additional Kreutz-sungrazing comets have been found on
SOHO website images (cf. IAUC 8845) -- the "discovery" data
tabulated below -- all being very faint and stellar in appearance.

COMET 133P/ELST-PIZARRO
     D. Jewitt, P. Lacerda, and N. Peixinho, University of Hawaii,
report that comet 133P/Elst-Pizarro = minor planet (7968) Elst-
Pizarro has become active after a long period of quiescence.
Optical observations with the University of Hawaii 2.2-m telescope
on June 11 UT show a straight tail at least 20" long in p.a. 256
deg.  The apparent red magnitude within an aperture 8" in projected
diameter is approximately 19.5.  Activity in 133P was last observed
in 2002 December.  The re-emergence of activity near perihelion (T
= 2007 June 29.3 TT; e.g., Nakano 2007, ICQ 2007 Comet Handbook) is
consistent with the identification of this object as an ice-bearing
minor planet or "main-belt comet" (Hsieh et al. 2004, A.J. 127,
2997).  Further observations to characterize the evolution of the
mass loss in the coming months are encouraged.

COMETS C/2007 F2-F5, C/2007 G2, C/2007 H4-H9 (SOHO)
     Additional near-sun comets (cf. IAUC 8846) have been found on
SOHO website images -- all being Kreutz sungrazers except for
C/2007 F4 (Meyer group).  C/2007 F2 reached mag about 5 in C3
images, and showed a thin, faint, 15' tail in C2 images.  C/2007 F3
was stellar in appearance, reaching mag about 6; it was tailless
even in C2 images.  C/2007 F4 was stellar in appearance and reached
mag about 6.5.  C/2007 H6, C/2007 H8, and C/2007 H9 were fuzzy,
very faint, and tailless.  C/2007 H7 was was slightly diffuse,
reaching mag about 7, with a hint of a tail.  The remaining four
objects were very small, somewhat diffuse, and quite faint (mag
about 7.5-8).

COMETS C/2007 J1-J6 (SOHO)
     Additional near-sun comets (cf. IAUC 8847) have been found on
SOHO website images -- all being Kreutz sungrazers except for
C/2007 J1 (Meyer group).  C/2007 J1 was stellar in appearance and
reached mag about 6.  C/2007 J5 was fuzzy, very faint, and tailless.
C/2007 J6 was very diffuse and somewhat elongated, with a hint of a
tail.  The remaining three objects were very small, slightly
diffuse, and faint (mag about 7.5-8).

COMET 8P/TUTTLE
     C. W. Hergenrother reports his recovery of this comet as a
stellar object of mag 20.3-20.4 in co-added CCD exposures taken on
Apr. 22.5 and 26.5 UT with the Catalina 1.54-m reflector.  The
astrometry, revised orbital elements, and an ephemeris appear on
MPEC 2007-L45.

COMET C/2007 M1 (McNAUGHT)
     R. H. McNaught reports his discovery of a comet on CCD images
taken with the 0.5-m Uppsala Schmidt telescope at Siding Spring
(discovery observation tabulated below), the weak discovery images
showing the object to be very diffuse; the FWHM of the object on
all images is slightly larger than stars of the same brightness,
(6", vs. 4" for the stars).  Following posting on the Minor Planet
Center's 'NEOCP' webpage, two other observers have noted the
object's cometary appearance:  J. Young reports that CCD images
taken in below-average seeing conditions on June 18.32-18.36 UT
with the Table Mountain 0.61-m reflector show a slightly elongated
coma of diameter 6"-8" with a bright inner core and a hint of a
nondescript tail in p.a. approximately 70-120 deg.  J. E. McGaha,
Tucson, AZ, reports that his 90-s images taken with a 0.62-m
reflector on June 18.4 show a stellar nuclear condensation with a
7" round coma.

COMETS C/2004 A4, C/2004 B11, AND C/2004 J20 (SOHO)
     Three additional near-sun comets (cf. IAUC 8848) have been
found by B. Zhou on archival 2004 SOHO website images -- all being
Kreutz sungrazers except for C/2004 J20 (Kracht group).  Each was
stellar in appearance and faint, the two Kreutz sungrazings
reaching mag about 7-7.5 and C/2004 J20 peaking in brightness at
mag about 8.

COMET C/2007 M3 (LINEAR)
     An apparently asteroidal object discovered by the LINEAR
survey, and posted on the NEOCP, has been found to show cometary
appearance by other astrometric observers.  L. Donato, E. Guido,
and G. Sostero write that their twenty co-added 60-s unfiltered CCD
images taken on June 22.0 UT with a 0.45-m reflector at Remanzacco,
Italy, show a small coma nearly 15" in diameter with a broad tail
25" long toward p.a. 125 deg.  Twenty co-added 60-s exposures by
Guido and Sostero obtained remotely on June 22.3 with a 0.25-m
reflector at Mayhill, New Mexico, show the presence of a coma
nearly 10" in diameter elongated toward p.a. 120 deg.  J. Young
writes that his exposures at Table Mountain on June 23.32-23.34
show a very bright round coma of mag 17.0 and diameter 12" with
strong central condensation; there was a very faint broad tail to
the east, 40" in length, with p.a. between 110 deg and 120 deg --
the tail appearing straight with same width from the coma to its
end.

COMET P/2007 J7 (LINEAR-MUELLER)
     Comet P/1998 S1 (cf. IAUC 7031) has been recovered
independently by R. H. McNaught on CCD images taken with the 0.5-m
Uppsala Schmidt at Siding Spring on May 13 UT and by J. V. Scotti
on CCD images taken with the Spacewatch 1.8-m f/2.7 reflector at
Kitt Peak on June 26.5.  McNaught described the comet as faint and
almost stellar, but with a 20" tail in p.a. 240 deg.  Scotti noted
the comet to have a 9" coma and a 64" tail in p.a. 241 deg.  The
indicated Delta(T) correction to the prediction on MPC 51824 is
+0.03 day [Delta(T) = +0.013 day to the prediction by S. Nakano in
the 2007 Comet Handbook, p. H9].  The orbital elements by B. G.
Marsden below are from 265 observations, 1998-2007 (mean residual
0".6).

COMETS C/2005 B5 AND C/2005 B6 (SOHO)
     Two additional Kreutz sungrazing comets (cf. IAUC 8850) have
been found by B. Zhou on 2005 archival SOHO website images.  Each
was stellar in appearance and faint, reaching mag about 7-7.5.

THE EDGAR WILSON AWARD 2007
     The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory announces that the
2007 Edgar Wilson Award for the discovery of comets (cf. IAUC 6936,
8730) is being divided among the following three individuals for
four different comets:  John Broughton (Reedy Creek, Qld.,
Australia) for C/2006 OF_2 (cf. IAUC 8756); David H. Levy (Tucson,
AZ, U.S.A.) for P/2006 T1 (cf. IAUC 8757); and Terry Lovejoy
(Thornlands, Qld., Australia) for C/2007 E2 (cf. IAUC 8819) and
C/2007 K5 (cf. IAUC 8840).

COMET C/2007 N1 (McNAUGHT)
     R. H. McNaught reports his discovery of a comet on CCD images
obtained with the 0.5-m Uppsala Schmidt telescope at Siding Spring
(discovery observation tabulated below); stacked images show the
object to be slightly diffuse with a diffuse tail about 10" long in
p.a. 240 deg.  Following posting on the Minor Planet Center's
'NEOCP' webpage, A. C. Gilmore writes that his CCD images taken on
July 11.64-11.70 UT with the Mt. John 1.0-m f/7.7 reflector show a
small, condensed coma and a short fan tail in p.a. 240 deg.  S.
Casulli notes that his CCD images taken on July 12.066 with a
0.40-m f/4.5 reflector at the Osservatorio Astronomico Vallemare di
Borbona show a coma nearly 12" in diameter, elongated toward p.a.
80 deg.

COMET C/2006 VZ_13 (LINEAR)
     M. L. Sitko, University of Cincinnati and Space Science
Institute; L. Beerman, University of Cincinnati; R. W. Russell, D.
K. Lynch, and R. Pearson, The Aerospace Corporation; H. B. Hammel,
Space Science Institute; and W. Golisch, Infrared Telescope
Facility (IRTF), NASA, report on observations made of comet C/2006
VZ_13 using the IRTF (+ BASS) on July 9 UT.  The comet exhibited a
continuum between 8 and 13 microns, on top of which a silicate
emission band from 8.5 to 12.2 microns was observed.  An underlying
blackbody, normalized to the continuum fluxes at 8.1 and 12.5
microns, yielded a mean grain temperature of 275 K (estimated
uncertainty +/- 5 K).  The derived temperature was 6 percent higher
than that of an equivalent radiative equilibrium blackbody at the
heliocentric distance of the comet.  The feature-to-continuum ratio
in the silicate band was 1.27.  The measured flux between 10.0 and
11.0 microns, using the 3".4 circular entrance aperture of BASS,
was 1.6 +/- 0.2 Jy (equivalent magnitude N = 3.5 +/- 0.1).
     Visual m_1 estimates by J. Gonzalez, Leon, Spain:  June 12.05
UT, 10.3 (25x100 bin.); 23.03, 9.4; 26.11, 8.8; July 4.91, 7.9
(7x50 bin.); 10.01, 7.3.

COMET C/2007 N3 (LULIN)
     An apparently asteroidal object discovered by Quanzhi Ye, a
student at Sun Yat-sen University (Guangzhou, China), on images
acquired by Chi Sheng Lin (Institute of Astronomy, National Central
University, Jung-Li, Taiwan) with the 0.41-m f/8.8 Ritchey-Chretien
reflector in the course of the Lulin Sky Survey (discovery
observation tabulated below), has been found to show marginal
cometary appearance by J. Young, who reports that CCD images taken
with the Table Mountain 0.61-m reflector on July 17.4 UT in 1"
seeing shows a small coma of diameter 2"-3" of total mag 18.8
surrounding a bright central core.

COMET C/2007 O1 (LINEAR)
     An apparently asteroidal object discovered by the LINEAR
survey (discovery observation tabulated below), and posted on the
Minor Planet Center's 'NEOCP' webpage, has been found to show
cometary appearance by several CCD observers.  L. Donato, E. Guido,
A. Lepardo, and G. Sostero (Remanzacco, Italy, 0.45-m f/4.4
reflector) write that twenty stacked 60-s unfiltered exposures
obtained on July 17.9 UT show a coma nearly 12" in diameter of red
mag 16.7-17.0.  G. Lombardi and E. Pettarin (Farra d'Isonzo, Italy,
0.40-m f/4.5 reflector) report that images obtained by F. Piani and
themselves on July 17.9 show a diffuse coma of diameter about 10"
with a tail about 20" long in p.a. 315 deg (though difficult
detection among the Milky Way stars).  P. Birtwhistle (Great
Shefford, Berkshire, England, 0.40-m f/6 Schmidt-Cassegrain
reflector) notes that his images from July 17.9 show that the
object appears diffuse and circular, with a concentrated center and
diameter 10", adding that no tail was visible, but that such
detection is very much hampered by the rich star field.  M.
Pietschnig (Alter Satzberg, Vienna, Austria, 0.35-m f/7 Schmidt-
Cassegrain reflector) reports that his frames from July 17.9 show a
faint coma of diameter about 20".  V. S. Casulli (Colleverde di
Guidonia, Italy, 0.40-m f/4.5 reflector) adds that images from July
18.04 and 18.06 show a coma nearly 9" in diameter, elongated toward
p.a. 330 deg.

COMET P/2007 O2 = P/1998 U2 (MUELLER)
     L. Buzzi and F. Luppi, Varese, Italy, report the recovery of
comet P/1998 U2 (cf. IAUC 7035, 7036), being slightly diffuse on
CCD images obtained with a 0.60-m reflector, with confirming CCD
images by P. Birtwhistle (Great Shefford, Berkshire, U.K., 0.40-m
reflector).

COMETS 189P/NEAT AND 190P/MUELLER
     Comet P/2007 N2 = P/2002 O5 (cf. IAUC 8856) has been given the
permanent number 189P, and comet P/2007 O2 = P/1998 U2 (cf. IAUC
8859) has been given the permanent number 190P (cf. MPC 60237).

COMET P/2007 N1 (McNAUGHT)
     Additional observations have shown this comet (cf. IAUC 8855)
to be of short orbital period, as indicated by the following
orbital elements (from MPC 60281):

COMET C/2006 P1 (McNAUGHT)
     C. M. Lisse and N. Dello Russo, Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns
Hopkins University; Y. Fernandez, University of Central Florida; G. H.
Jones, Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College, London;
and M. Sitko, Space Science Institute, report that the Spitzer Space
Telescope observed comet C/2006 P1 on May 4-5 using the IRS instrument
when the comet was at r = 2.4 AU and Delta = 2.2 AU.  A rounded,
central source of emission due to the coma was found in the peak-up
imager at 16 microns.  The 5- to 35-micron spectrum of the outflowing
dust showed only a mild excess (about 10 percent) due to silicate
emission at 8-13 microns.  The flux density at 10 microns was about
0.1 Jy, and at 20 microns was 0.6 Jy.  The effective temperature of
the dust was 190 +/- 10 K.  The local equilibrium temperature at 2.4 AU
was 182 K.  Lisse et al. estimate a production rate of dust to be about
6 x 10^3 kg/s.  The spectrum is remarkably featureless and dominated by
infrared emission from large particles, and is similar to that derived
from comet-surface mantles.  This is unexpected for a comet that, in
Dec. 2006-Jan. 2007, had demonstrated large outflows of material, a
highly structured dust tail due to the presence of 0.1- to 10-micron
dust particles, and was still emitting dust at the time of Spitzer
observations at a rate comparable to the strongly-mid-infrared-featured
comets C/1996 B2 (Hyakutake) and 1P/1982 U1 (Halley) when passing
closest to the earth.  Lisse et al. further surmise that either the
comet has a very thick surface mantle that was only temporarily breached
during the perihelion passage by a jet or the material being emitted in
May 2007 is from a surface mantle that has regrown since the comet's
perihelion passage four months earlier.

PERSEID METEORS 2007
   P. Jenniskens, SETI Institute, reports that the Perseid meteors from comet
109P/Swift-Tuttle should peak at ZHR = 80 +/- 20 meteors/hr on 2007 Aug.
13d10h UT (Jenniskens 2006, Meteor Showers and Their Parent Comets, Cambridge
Univ. Press, p. 397).  Jenniskens adds that a possible encounter with a
younger filament component is expected around Aug. 13d04h, with a FWHM = 1.0
hr; this younger filament is an accumulation of many trails over a period of
time, thought to be dust moving in mean-motion resonances and being mostly
responsible for the Perseid outbursts of the 1989-1997 period.  Peak activity
can not yet be predicted reliably.  Also, I. Sato has identified a weak
encounter with the 1479 dust trail of comet 109P on Aug. 12d22h55m.  E.
Lyytinen calculates a peak time at Aug. 13d00h27m, while J. Vaubaillon has the
peak at Aug. 12d22h42m and an estimated duration of FWHM = 0.49 hr.
Jenniskens estimates a peak rate of only about ZHR = 20 meteors per hour for
this dust-trail encounter, which occurs on top of the stronger annual shower
activity.

COMET C/2007 P1 (McNAUGHT)
     R. H. McNaught reports his discovery of a comet on 20-s CCD
frames obtained with the 0.5-m Uppsala Schmidt telescope at Siding
Spring Observatory (discovery observation tabulated below), the
comet showing a coma diameter of about 40", extended to the
southwest; McNaught adds that this is the most diffuse comet that
he can remember observing, with little or no condensation and thus
difficult to measure.  Follow-up 60-s exposures by G. J. Garradd
with the same telescope on Aug. 8.7 UT show some condensation, but
the images are still very difficult to measure.  Following posting
on the Minor Planet Center's 'NEOCP' webpage, J. Broughton (Reedy
Creek, Qld., Australia, 0.51-m f/2.7 reflector) writes that his CCD
frames taken on Aug. 9.7 show a 30"-diameter coma and a 2' tail in
p.a. 350o.

COMET C/2006 P1 (McNAUGHT)
     C. M. Lisse and N. Dello Russo, Applied Physics Laboratory,
Johns Hopkins University; Y. Fernandez, University of Central
Florida; G. H. Jones, Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University
College, London; and M. Sitko, Space Science Institute, report that
the Spitzer Space Telescope's IRS instrument observed comet C/2006
P1 on May 4-5 (at r = 2.4 AU, Delta = 2.2 AU).  A very round,
featureless coma with no obvious extension in the anti-sun
direction appeared as the central source of emission in the peak-up
imager at 16 microns.  The 5- to 35-micron spectrum of the
outflowing dust showed only a mild excess (about 10 percent) due to
silicate emission at 8-13 microns.  The flux density at 10 microns
was about 0.1 Jy, and at 20 microns was 0.6 Jy.  The effective
temperature of the dust was 190 +/- 10 K.  The local equilibrium
temperature at 2.4 AU was 182 K.  Lisse et al. estimate a
production rate of dust to be about 6 x 10^3 kg/s.  The spectrum is
remarkably featureless and dominated by infrared emission from
large particles, and is similar to that derived from comet-surface
mantles.  This is unexpected for a comet that, in Dec. 2006-Jan.
2007, had demonstrated large outflows of material, a highly
structured dust tail due to the presence of 0.1- to 10-micron dust
particles, and was still emitting dust at the time of Spitzer
observations at a rate comparable to the strongly-mid-infrared-
featured comets C/1996 B2 (Hyakutake) and 1P/1982 U1 (Halley) when
passing closest to the earth.  Lisse et al. further surmise that
either the comet has a very thick surface mantle that was only
temporarily breached during the perihelion passage by a jet or the
material being emitted in May 2007 is from a surface mantle that
has regrown since the comet's perihelion passage four months
earlier.

COMET C/2007 Q1 (GARRADD)
     G. J. Garradd reports his discovery of a slightly diffuse
comet on CCD images taken in poor seeing with the 0.5-m Uppsala
Schmidt telescope in the course of the Siding Spring Survey
(discovery observation tabulated below).  Following posting on the
Minor Planet Center's 'NEOCP' webpage, several other CCD
astrometrists have commented on the object's cometary appearance.
N. Teamo and S. Hoenig (0.41-m f/8 Ritchey-Chretien telescope at
Punaauia, Tahiti) found a 6" diffuse coma and a fan-shapped 20"-
long tail in p.a. approximately 200 deg, spanning approximately 50
deg of p.a., on Aug. 22.5.  L. Ligustri (Talmassons, Udine, Italy,
0.35-m f/5 reflector) writes that fifteen 180-s co-added exposures
from Aug. 24.0 show a coma diameter of about 12" with an elongation
in p.a. 215 deg.  L. Buzzi and F. Luppi (Varese, Italy, 0.60-m
f/4.6 reflector) note that their images on Aug. 24.05-24.10 show a
condensed 10" coma with a possible extension 6"-8" long in p.a. 225
deg.  A. C. Gilmore (Mt. John 1.0-m f/7.7 reflector) adds that his
images from Aug. 24.5 show a small, slightly condensed spot
slightly larger than nearby star images of similar brightness.

COMET C/2007 Q3 (SIDING SPRING)
     An apparently asteroidal object discovered by D. M. Burton
with the 0.5-m Uppsala Schmidt telescope in the course of the
Siding Spring survey (discovery observation tabulated below), and
posted on the 'NEOCP' webpage, has also been found to show cometary
appearance by Sarneczky and Kiss, who on Aug. 30.8 UT found a 6"
coma and 12"-long tail in p.a. 290 deg on a 1800-s co-added image
taken with the 1.0-m reflector at Siding Spring.  Also, N. Teamo
and J. C. Pelle write that CCD exposures taken on Aug. 29.6 with a
0.35-m reflector at Punaauia, Tahiti, show the comet's FWHM image
to be larger than those of neighboring stars of similar brightness.

2007 AURIGID METEORS
     P. Jenniskens, SETI Institute, reports that he anticipates an Aurigid
outburst on 2007 Sept. 1d11h33m UT (cf. Jenniskens and Vaubaillon 2007,
WGN 35, 30, and EOS 88, 317).  From past Aurigid showers, Jenniskens
anticipates a shower of meteors mostly in the magnitude range -2 to +3,
with a peak rate of ZHR approximately 200 per hour during a 10-min
interval, and a duration FWHM = 25 min.  The predictions for the upcoming
Aurigid outburst are based on where the dust trail of comet C/1911 N1
(Kiess) was at the time of the very brief, limited outbursts in 1935
(Hoffmeister 1936, A.N. 258, 25; Guth 1936, A.N. 258, 27), and in 1986 and
1994 (see also the review by Jenniskens 2006, *Meteor Showers and Their
Parent Comets*, Cambridge Univ. Press, pp. 175ff).  Jenniskens and
Vaubaillon predict that the trail will be at the same distance from the
earth's orbit in 2007, adding that the position of the trail is not very
sensitive to the previous perihelion time of the comet, because the
perturbations occur on the way in, after the dust has spread at aphelion.
Hence, the overall movement of the trail over time is well determined.
     The exact position of the pattern of trail motion does reflect the
past perihelion time of the comet.  Given the distribution of dust (see
Jenniskens and Vaubaillon 2007, op.cit.), this actually puts the trails
in the earth's path in 1935, 1986, 1994, and again in 2007; assuming
a perihelion time around 2000 years ago for the comet supports these
encounters with the dust trails (the uncertainty in the perihelion time
for the comet from the available 3-month arc in 1911 is at least
several decades at its previous return, but 4 AD was assumed for this
analysis).  S. Nakano, Sumoto, Japan, writes that his own analysis of
the observations of comet C/1911 N1 yields a perihelion time in 19 BC,
confirming that the time of the predicted peak in Aurigid meteors in
2007 is not very sensitive to the time of the comet's previous perihelion
passage:  Nakano predicts that the Aurigid stream will pass closes to the
earth on Sept. 1d11h32m UT.
     A weak annual Aurigid shower has been reported by visual observers
(e.g., Dubietis and Arlt 2002, WGN 30, 22 and 168), but needs confirmation
from photographic and video techniques.

2007 AURIGID METEORS
     P. Jenniskens, SETI Institute, reports that observations onboard
two research aircraft over Nevada and California indicate that the
anticipated Aurigid outburst (cf. CBET 1045) from the 1-revolution
dust trail of comet C/1911 N1 (Kiess) did occur on Sept. 1 between
10h30m and 12h00m UT, with a peak at 11h15m +/- 5 minutes (the predicted
peak time was 11h33m +/- 20 min).  The peak rate was within a factor of
two of that expected.  Most meteors were in the magnitude range -2 to +3,
as anticipated.
     C. Steyaert, Vereniging Voor Sterrenkunde, Belgium, writes that
several stations of the 'Radio Meteor Observatories On Line' collaboration
(http://radio.data.free.fr/main.php3) report high Aurigid activity on
September 1.  A. Smith, Tavistock, U.K., observing at 143.050 MHz, found the
Aurigids to be "very active with big fireballs" between Sept. 1d10h45m
and 1d12h10m UT.  J. Brower, Kelowna, B.C., Canada, observing at 61.26 MHz,
found that "heavy, overdense echoes had a sudden onset starting" during
Sept. 1d10h50m-1d11h00m and continued to be heavy for an hour.  W. Camps,
Tessenderlo, Belgium, observing at 49.990 MHz, observed the following
counts at 10-minute intervals starting:  Sept. 1d10h00m, 6; 1d10h10m, 3;
1d10h20m, 4; 1d10h30m, 2; 1d10h40m, 4; 1d10h50m, 2; 1d11h00m, 7; 1d11h10m,
4; 1d11h20m, 7; 1d11h30m, 7; 1d11h40m, 3; 1d11h50m, 3; 1d12h00m, 4;
1d12h10m, 2; 1d12h20m, 2; 1d12h30m, 1; 1d12h40m, 1; 1d12h50m, 2.
     J. M. Trigo-Rodriguez, Institut de Ciencies de l'Espai and Institut
d'Estudis Espacials de Catalunya, Bellaterra (Barcelona), reports that no
signs of Aurigid activity were recorded from Catalonia, Spain, via the
all-sky CCD cameras of the Spanish Meteor Network on Sept. 1d00h30m-
1d04h30m UT.  Meteors of magnitude 3 or brighter were recorded radiating
from the Aurigid radiant, and there were no signs of fireballs from the
dust trail of comet C/1911 N1.

COMET P/2007 N1 = P/2000 P3 (McNAUGHT)
     S. Nakano, Sumoto, Japan, has identified previously
unpublished observations on three nights in 2000 August and
November from the NEAT and LONEOS surveys with comet P/2007 N1 (cf.
IAUC 8855, 8860).  Following the announcement of this
identification on MPEC 2007-R04, M. Meyer (Limburg, Germany) and R.
J. Bouma (Groningen, The Netherlands) each independently found
additional unrecognized NEAT images of the comet obtained with the
Haleakala 1.2-m reflector from 2000 Sept. 3 and Dec. 19 -- Meyer
noting the comet to be diffuse with a tail, and Bouma writing that
a stacked image from the Dec. exposures revealing a 4" coma and a
faint tail about 6" long in p.a. 45 +/- 5 deg; Meyer's astrometry
appears on MPEC 2007-R17.

COMET P/2007 R1 (LARSON)
     S. Larson, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, reports his
discovery of a comet on images taken in the course of the Mt.
Lemmon Survey (discovery observation tabulated below), noting the
object to have a 40" coma and a very diffuse tail in p.a. about 230
deg.  Four co-added 60-s follow-up images by R. A. Kowalski with
the Mt. Lemmon 1.5-m reflector on Sept. 8.4 UT in good seeing show
a condensed comet 20" in diameter, slightly elongated toward p.a.
about 230 deg.  Following posting on the Minor Planet Center's
'NEOCP' webpage, numerous other astrometric observers have also
commented on the object's cometary nature.  G. Hug (Eskridge, KS,
U.S.A., 0.7-m reflector) writes that his CCD frames taken on Sept.
8.3 show the object to be diffuse with a faint tail in p.a. about
250 deg.  L. Buzzi and F. Luppi (Varese, Italy, 0.60-m f/4.64
reflector) report that their images from Sept. 8.89-9.07 show a
strong central condensation surrounded by a coma at least 15" wide,
with an extension towards the west.  Fifteen stacked 60-s
unfiltered exposures obtained during Sept. 9.03-9.08 by G. Sostero,
E. Guido, and V. Gonano (Remanzacco, Italy, 0.45-m f/4.4 reflector)
reveal the presence of a coma almost 12" in diameter.  C. Jacques
and E. Pimentel (Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, 0.30-m f/3
Schmidt-Cassegrain reflector) find a coma diameter of 20" on their
CCD frames from Sept. 9.1.  E. Reina L. (Masquefa, Spain, 0.25-m
f/3.3 Schmidt-Cassegrain reflector) finds the comet to be diffuse
with a 23" coma on images taken on Sept. 9.07-9.15.  J. Young
(Table Mountain 0.61-m f/16 Cassegrain reflector) reports that his
images from Sept. 9.24-9.27 show a 8" round coma with little
central condensation and only a hint of some extension 12" long at
p.a. 260 deg.

     J. M. Trigo-Rodriguez, Institut d'Estudis Espacials de Catalunya,
Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Bellaterra (Barcelona);
J. M. Madiedo, University of Huelva; and A. J. Castro-Tirado and S. Vitek,
Instituto de Astrofisica de Andalucia, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones
Cientificas, report that unusual activity of bright kappa-Cygnid meteors
was recorded by the all-sky CCD and video cameras of the Spanish Meteor
Network under dark skies, mainly during the nights of Aug. 12-13 and
13-14, but bright fireballs were also reported during the activity period
of this minor shower.  According to the data obtained at Catalonia and
Andalusia, this unusual activity peaked around Aug. 13d00h (solar longitude
139.80 deg) with ZHR = 19 +/- 4 (magnitude distribution index chi = 1.6 +/-
0.5).  The apparent radiant was located at R.A. = 292 +/- 2 deg, Decl. =
+58 +/- 1 deg, on the basis of ten single-station meteors that appeared
near the radiant.  Additional clues on the origin of this activity will be
obtained when the double-station meteors are processed.  An extraordinary
fireball of absolute mag -9 was imaged from Madrid by J. Izquierdo and J.
Zamorano (Universidad Autonoma de Madrid) on Aug. 13d4h14m55s +/- 8s
UT.  B. Troughton (Sociedad Malaguena de Astronomia) also reported enhanced
fireball activity imaged using all-sky cameras operated from Malaga.
Activity during other nights was below normal levels, but with a
background of bright fireballs, many of which exhibited flares and
reactivation in the last phases of their luminous paths, suggesting
weak and relatively young cometary material.

COMET P/2007 R2 (GIBBS)
     A. R. Gibbs reports his discovery of a comet on four co-added
30-s unfiltered CCD images obtained with the 0.68-m Schmidt
telescope in the course of the Catalina Sky Survey ("discovery"
observation tabulated below), the comet showing a compact 7" coma
and a short, narrow tail 10" long in p.a. 250 deg.  Following
posting on the Minor Planet Center's 'NEOCP' webpage, other CCD
astrometric observers have also commented on the object's cometary
appearance.  J. W. Young (Table Mountain 0.61-m f/16 reflector)
notes that his images from Sept. 11.36-11.39 UT show a slightly
elongated 8"-diameter coma with a fairly bright condensation, and a
very straight tail is 40" long in p.a. 255 deg is seen in several
long exposures; images from Sept. 12.5 show a 8" coma slightly
elongated toward the 30"-long tail (p.a. 255-260 deg).  J. E.
McGaha (Tucson, AZ, 0.62-m f/5.1 reflector) reports that fived
stacked 60-s images from Sept. 11.44-11.45 show a 30" coma
elongated in p.a. 245 deg with a very narrow tail extending 90" at
this same position angle.  P. Birtwhistle (Great Shefford,
Berkshire, England, 0.40-m f/6 reflector) writes that his stacked
images from Sept. 12.1 show a diffuse coma of diameter 4" with a
10" tail in p.a. 260 deg.

COMET P/2007 R3 (GIBBS)
     A. R. Gibbs reports his discovery of another comet on
unfiltered CCD images obtained with the 1.5-m reflector in the
course of the Mt. Lemmon Survey ("discovery" observation tabulated
below); the four co-added 30-s frames show a well-condensed 8" coma
and a faint, narrow tail 20" long in p.a. 240 deg, while four co-
added 80-s frames taken around Sept. 14.37 UT show a condensed 11"
coma and a faint 30" tapered tail in p.a. 240 deg.  Four co-added
30-s exposures by Gibbs on Sept. 15.24-15.27 show a condensed 8"
coma and a faint 10" tail in p.a. 225 deg, while four co-added 80-s
frames taken around Sept. 15.35-15.36 show a condensed 10" coma and
a narrow 40" tail in p.a. 245 deg.  Following posting on the Minor
Planet Center's 'NEOCP' webpage, numerous other CCD astrometric
observers have also commented on the object's cometary appearance.
G. Hug (Scranton, KS, 0.30-m reflector) writes that the object
appeared diffuse on his images from Sept. 15.3.  J. G. Ries
(McDonald Observatory 0.76-m reflector) notes that her images from
Sept. 15.4 show a coma and a faint tail approximately 23" long
toward the southwest.  V. Gonano, E. Guido, and G. Sostero
(Remanzacco, Italy, 0.45-m reflector) report that fourth co-added
60-s exposures taken around Sept. 16.0 show a diffuse coma nearly
15" in diameter with a broad tail nearly 25" long in p.a. 260 deg.
P. Birtwhistle (Great Shefford, Berkshire, England, 0.40-m f/6
reflector) writes that his images from Sept. 16.0 show a 10" coma
with a 30" tail in p.a. 240 deg.

COMET C/2007 N3 (LULIN)
     The following revised parabolic orbital elements for this comet
(cf. IAUC 8857) are from MPEC 2007-R56:  T = 2009 Jan. 10.7452 TT,
q = 1.211903 AU, Peri. = 136.8430 deg, Node = 338.4873 deg, i =
178.3716 deg (equinox 2000.0).

COMET P/2007 R4 (GARRADD)
     G. J. Garradd reports his discovery of a comet on CCD images
taken with the 0.5-m Uppsala Schmidt telescope in the course of the
Siding Spring Survey (discovery observation tabulated below), the
object indicated as having a faint 20" tail to the west on 30-s
exposures.  Following posting on the Minor Planet Center's 'NEOCP'
webpage, A. C. Gilmore and P. M. Kilmartin (Mt. John 1.0-m f/7.7
reflector) write that their images from Sept. 16.50-16.56 UT show a
coma of diameter about 5" and a 'wedge'-shaped tail 25" long in p.a.
270 deg; Gilmore's images taken on Sept. 17.5 show a coma diameter
of about 9" with central condensation (FWHM 4") and a tail 20" long
in p.a. 260 deg.

P/2007 R5 = 1999 R1 = 2003 R5 (SOHO)
     K. Battams, Naval Research Laboratory, informs us that B. Zhou
reported his detection of a member of the 'Kracht II comet group'
in SOHO-LASCO C2 data on Sept. 10; the object was immediately
confirmed by R. Kracht as showing 'Kracht-II' group motion.  Kracht
had in Sept. 2002 (MPEC 2002-S35) and Sept. 2003 (MPEC 2004-J59)
noted the similarity of the motions of 1999 R1 (cf. IAUC 7251) to
the motions of 2002 R5 (IAUC 7984) and 2003 R5 (IAUC 8340), and B.
G. Marsden noted (MPEC 2004-J59) that his orbital elements of 2003
R5 were essentially identical with his elements of 1999 R1 that
were given on MPEC 1999-R19; following these developments a couple
of years later, S. Hoenig (2006, A.Ap. 445, 759) published his
prediction that the presumed single object 1999 R1 = 2003 R5 would
return to perihelion around 2007 Sept. 11.26 UT.  All the 'Kracht
II' objects were uncritically called "comets" when announced,
despite their lack of an obvious coma or tail (on the standing
assumption that the SOHO objects must generally be either active or
extinct cometary nuclei); the cometary designation 2007 R5 has been
assigned to these new observations to follow the pattern of earlier
designations, but with mild support also from the photometric
behavior of the object (see also IAUC 8872).

P/2007 R5 = 1999 R1 = 2003 R5 (SOHO)
     Continuing the remarks on IAUC 8871, regarding the past
uncritical assumption that this object is a comet, the 'Kracht II'
group has no known association with any comet or meteor streams,
nor has there been any obvious tail or coma observed at any of the
apparitions of this much smaller group of objects -- unlike the
cases involving the Marsden and 'Kracht I' groups of SOHO objects,
which have been linked to comet 96P and at least two meteor streams
(e.g., Sekanina and Chodas 2005, Ap.J. Suppl. 161, 551), and the
Kreutz sungrazers.  An analysis of the images of 1999 R1, 2003 R5,
and 2007 R5 by M. Knight (University of Maryland) suggests that the
expansion of the C2 images (which have a scale of 11".8/pixel) as
it brightens may be an indication of coma material (the object
remains pointlike in C3 images, with a scale of 56"/pixel), and his
analysis of the light curves for each apparition is suggestive more
of a cometary light curve than an asteroidal light curve (though
asteroidal photometric behavior at such high phase angles and small
solar elongations has not been observed previously); peaks in
brightness occurred a few hours after perihelion each time:  near
mag 6 on 1999 Sept. 5.1 and 2003 Sept. 8.4, and near mag 5.5 on
Sept. 11.0 UT (and the magnitude tabulated on IAUC 8871 is from
Knight).  The images of 2007 R5 show it fading rapidly and
disappearing around Sept. 12.3 as it made its turn to move toward
superior conjunction with the sun after perihelion.  According to K.
Battams, both the 1999 and 2003 objects appeared from behind the C2
occulter and "started pretty much as point sources" (perhaps 2
pixels in diameter):  as they crossed the C2 field-of-view, the
objects each "grew in size and brightness at a very steady rate,
but always retaining a well-defined edge (i.e., not diffuse)"; at
the right-hand edge of the C2 field-of-view, the object images
"were probably 4-5 pixels across and 5-6 pixels 'tall' and
generally 'rounded'".

COMET C/2007 O1 (LINEAR)
     S. Nakano, Sumoto, Japan, has identified this comet (cf. IAUC
8858) with an asteroidal object designated 2006 GA_38 and observed
on 2006 Apr. 2 by the LONEOS project and on Apr. 9 by the Catalina
Sky Survey; revised hyperbolic osculating orbital elements appear
on MPC 60282.

COMET P/2007 S1 (ZHAO)
     Haibin Zhao, Purple Mountain Observatory, reports the
discovery of a comet (discovery observation tabulated below) on CCD
images obtained with the 1.04-m f/1.8 Schmidt telescope at XuYi
Station; the object shows a moderately condensed coma with diameter
15".6.  Following posting on the 'NEOCP' webpage, G. Sostero
(Remanzacco, Italy) reports that unfiltered CCD images obtained by
L. Donato and V. Gonano on Sept. 19.9 UT show (0.45-m reflector;
forty co-added 60-s exposures) a coma nearly 25" in diameter with a
fan-shaped tail nearly 40" long in p.a. 240 deg.  L. Buzzi and F.
Luppi (Varese, Italy, 0.60-m reflector) write that their forty-five
stacked 15-s images from Sept. 20.0 show a 10" central condensation
elongated in p.a. about 270 deg surrounded by a faint 30" coma.  E.
Guido, Castellammare di Stabia, Italy, writes that 12 stacked 60-s
unfiltered exposures taken remotely by Sostero and himself on Sept.
20.4 with a 0.25-m f/3.4 reflector at Mayhill, NM, U.S.A., show a
diffuse coma nearly 15" in diameter with total mag 17.8 and a sharp
central condensation with a tail nearly 25" long toward p.a. 260
deg.  Ten 180-s images taken by R. Ligustri (Talmassons, Udine,
Italy, 0.35-m reflector) on Sept. 20.9 show a coma of diameter
about 20"-30".

COMET C/2007 S2 (LEMMON)
     An apparently asteroidal object discovered on CCD images taken
with the 1.5-m reflector in the course of the Mt. Lemmon survey
(discovery observation tabulated below), and posted on the Minor
Planet Center's 'NEOCP' webpage, has been found to show cometary
appearance by two observers:  Q.-z. Ye (Department of Atmosphere
Science, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China) writes that
three stacked 60-s CCD exposures taken with the Lulin Observatory
0.41-m Ritchey-Chretien reflector on Sept. 27.85 UT show a very
obvious coma of diameter about 5".5 with a short fan-like tail 6"
long towards p.a. about 180-270 deg.  J. W. Young reports that his
images taken with the Table Mountain 0.61-m f/16 Cassegrain
reflector on Oct. 3.45-3.53 show a 6"-diameter, very round, bright
coma with no hint of a tail.

The available astrometry, the following preliminary parabolic
orbital elements, and an ephemeris appear on MPEC 2007-T11.  This
comet's orbit is probably of intermediate or short period.

COMET C/2007 T1 (McNAUGHT)
     R. H. McNaught reports his discovery of a comet (discovery
observation tabulated below) on CCD images obtained with the 0.5-m
Uppsala Schmidt telescope in the course of the Siding Spring survey;
the object showed a 2'.0 coma, slightly extended in p.a. 80 deg,
with moderate to strong condensation.  Following posting on the
Minor Planet Center's 'NEOCP' webpage, numerous other astrometric
CCD observers have commented on the object's cometary appearance,
including L. Donato and V. Gonano, Remanzacco, Italy (0.45-m f/4.4
reflector, Oct. 9.72 UT; thirty co-added 10-s exposures obtained in
twilight show a coma nearly 30" in diameter with a sharp central
condensation and a fan tail almost 40" long toward p.a. 45 deg);
E. Pettarin, G. Lombardi, and L. Bittesini, Farra d'Isonzo, Italy
(0.40-m f/4.5 reflector, Oct. 9.73; 25" diffuse coma in a poor sky);
F. Hormuth, Heidelberg-Koenigstuhl (0.70-m reflector, Oct. 9.73-
9.74; coma diameter approximately 20"; stacked R-band images
totalling 300 s show the coma slightly elongated toward the east);
M. Tichy, M. Honkova, and J. Ticha, Klet (0.57-m f/5.2 reflector,
Oct. 9.76-9.77; coma diameter > 25"); and P. Birtwhistle, Great
Shefford, Berkshire, England (0.40-m f/6 Schmidt-Cassegrain
reflector, Oct. 9.77-9.78; 20" concentrated coma with a 75" tail
in p.a. 80 deg).

COMET P/2007 T2 (KOWALSKI)
     R. A. Kowalski reports his discovery of a comet on Catalina
Sky Survey images taken with the 0.68-m Schmidt telescope
(discovery observation tabulated below), the twilight images
showing a coma 15" across.  Follow-up 30-s exposures by E. Beshore
with the Mt. Lemmon 1.5-m reflector on Oct. 10.5 UT show a bright,
elongated nuclear condensation and a tail approximately 20" long in
p.a. approximately 300 deg.  After posting on the Minor Planet
Center's 'NEOCP' webpage, G. Sostero and E. Guido (Remanzacco,
Italy, 0.45-m f/4.4 reflector) write that 70 co-added 30-s images
from Oct. 10.13-10.16 show a concentrated coma with a diameter of
nearly 18" of total mag about 16.3, elongated toward the northwest,
with a narrow tail extending nearly 15" toward p.a. 300 deg.  L.
Buzzi (Varese, Italy, 0.60-m f/4.6 reflector) reports that, on his
images from Oct. 11.2, the object is elongated 10" in p.a. 310 deg.
D. T. Durig (Sewanee, TN, U.S.A., 0.30-m f/3 Schmidt-Cassegrain
reflector) notes that twenty stacked 2-min images taken on Oct. 11.4
show a 15"-17" coma that is asymmetrical in p.a. 310 deg.  J. E.
McGaha (Tucson, AZ, U.S.A., 0.62-m f/5.1 reflector) adds that his
120-s images from Oct. 11.48 show a 6" coma that is elongated
toward a short 8" tail in p.a. 305 deg.

COMET P/2007 T3 (SHOEMAKER-LEVY)
     R. H. McNaught reports his recovery of comet P/1990 V1 (=
1990o = 1990 XV; cf. IAUC 5135) on CCD images taken with the 0.5-m
Uppsala Schmidt telescope at Siding Spring; the comet shows a 10"
coma and no tail on Oct. 12, and McNaught's astrometric measures
are given below:

COMET C/2007 T4 (GIBBS)
     A. R. Gibbs reports his discovery of a comet on unfiltered CCD
images obtained with the 0.68-m Schmidt telescope at Catalina
(discovery observation tabulated below), with four co-added 30-s
exposures showing a compact coma of size 8".5 x 6" with a tapered
25" tail in p.a. 305 deg.  Four 30-s images taken by R. A. Kowalski
with the Mt. Lemmon 1.5-m reflector on Oct. 14.5 UT show a coma of
diameter approximately 10" with a straight tail approximately 25"
long in p.a. 300 deg.  Following posting on the Minor Planet
Center's 'NEOCP' webpage, J. Y. Young writes that his CCD images
taken with the Table Mountain 0.61-m telescope on Oct. 15.5 show a
round, 6"-diameter, diffuse coma with a small bright central core
and a 30" tail in p.a. 290 deg.

COMET C/2007 T5 (GIBBS)
     Gibbs also reports his discovery of another comet with a
diffuse 15" coma and a brighter 6"-diameter center (no visible
tail) on four co-added 30-s unfiltered Catalina Sky Survey
exposures (discovery observation tabulated below).  Kowalski adds
that four co-added 60-s exposures at Mt. Lemmon on Oct. 14.5 UT
show a strongly condensed coma of diameter 30"; his four co-added
75-s exposures on Oct. 15.5 show a condensed coma approximately 12"
across and an extended coma approximately 25" across with no
visible tail in poor seeing.  Young found a very faint diffuse
round coma of diameter 26" with no tail and very little central
condensation on his images from Oct. 15.5.

COMET C/2007 T6 (CATALINA)
     An apparently asteroidal object discovered by the Catalina Sky
Survey (discovery observation tabulated below), and posted on the
Minor Planet Center's 'NEOCP' webpage, has been found to show
cometary appearance by J. W. Young on his CCD frames taken on Oct.
14.5 UT with the Table Mountain 0.61-m f/16 Cassegrain reflector,
which show a slightly elongated coma, 8" x 12" in diameter, with a
short, faint 20" tail in p.a. 310 deg (the coma being elongated
perpendicular to the p.a. of the tail, more visible in short
exposures).  Young's exposures from Oct. 15.5 show the elongated,
bright coma (mag 17.2), with size and orientation of elongation the
same as seen on the previous night, but now with no hint of tail.

COMET C/2007 F1 (LONEOS)
     Visual total-magnitude estimates made with the comet generally
< 10 deg above the horizon:  Sept. 20.20 UT, 9.3 (J. J. Gonzalez,
Leon, Spain, 0.20-m reflector); 23.20, 8.7 (Gonzalez, 25x100
binoculars); Oct. 5.20, 6.9 (Gonzalez, 10x50 binoculars); 6.16, 7.2
(B. H. Granslo, Fjellhamar, Norway, 0.10-m refractor); 7.16, 6.7 (M.
Meyer, Ahlbach, Germany, 20x100 binoculars); 9.83, 7.0 (Y. Nagai,
Gunma, Japan, 20x100 binoculars); 13.75, 6.3 (Meyer, Eppenrod,
Germany); 14.80, 6.5 (Gonzalez).

COMETS C/2007 J8-J12 AND C/2007 K7-K18 (SOHO)
     Additional near-sun comets (cf. IAUC 8853) have been found on
SOHO website images -- all being Kreutz sungrazers except for
C/2007 K12 (Meyer group).  K. Battams reports that C/2007 J8, K7,
K9, and K11 were slightly diffuse and very faint (mag 8) with no
tail.  C/2007 J9 was stellar (mag about 6.5) in C3 images, and very
slightly diffuse with a hint of tail in C2 images.  C/2007 J10, K13,
K15, and K16 were slightly diffuse and faint (mag about 7.5).
C/2007 J11 was stellar in C3 images, and was of mag about 6.5 with
a hint of tail in C2 images.  C/2007 J12 was extremely faint in C3
images and "very faint/diffuse" (mag 8) in C2 images.  C/2007 K8
was stellar in appearance in C3 images, and slightly diffuse (mag
about 7) with a hint of tail in C2 images.  C/2007 K10 was stellar
in appearance and faint in C3 images, and slightly diffuse and
elongated (mag about 7.5) in C2 images.  C/2007 K12 was stellar in
appearance, elongated (but not in the direction of motion), and of
mag about 6.5.  C/2007 K14 was extremely faint (mag about 8.5) and
fairly diffuse.  C/2007 K17 was very faint (mag about 8), elongated,
and diffuse.  C/2007 K18 was faint and stellar in appearance in C3
images, and slightly diffuse (mag about 7) with a hint of tail in
C2 images.

COMETS C/2007 K19, C/2007 K20, C/2007 L1-L6 (SOHO)
     Further to IAUC 8882, additional Kreutz sungrazing comets have
been found on SOHO website images.  C/2007 K19 and L5 were
extremely faint (mag about 8.5) and diffuse, the former being also
elongated.  C/2007 K20 and L6 were very faint (mag about 8) and
diffuse.  C/2007 L1 was stellar in appearance in C3 images, and
slightly diffuse (mag about 7.5) with no tail in C2 images.  C/2007
L2 was stellar in appearance in C3 images, and was of mag about 5.5
with an extremely faint, thin tail in C2 images.  C/2007 L3 peaked
at mag about 3 with a dense, wide tail about 45" long on June 8.171
UT; while the comet's "head" disappeared at about June 8.181, the
tail was still visible at June 8.917 (when it had extended into a
diffuse arc of apparent length around 1.5 deg), and this comet was
also visible in coronagraphs on both STEREO spacecraft.  C/2007 L4
was stellar in appearance (mag about 8).

COMET C/2007 U1 (LINEAR)
     An apparently asteroidal object reported by the LINEAR survey
(discovery observation tabulated below) that was posted on the
Minor Planet Center's 'NEOCP' webpage has been found to show
cometary appearance by several CCD observers.  G. Sostero, E.
Guido, and V. Gonano (Remanzacco, Italy, 0.45-m reflector) write
that their co-adding of 73 unfiltered 60-s exposures obtained on
Oct. 21.1 UT reveals a tiny coma nearly 18" in diameter of mag
about 18.6, elongated toward the northwest.  K. Sarneczky and L. L.
Kiss report that their co-added 900-s R-band image taken with the
2.3-m reflector at Siding Spring on Oct. 21.8 shows a 6" coma and
12"-long tail in p.a. 150 deg.  L. Buzzi (Varese, Italy, 0.60-m
reflector) notes that his exposures from Oct. 21.1 and 22.1 show
that the object appears slightly diffuse with a central
condensation and a 10" round coma, but no tail.

COMET P/2007 U2 (LINEAR-NEAT)
     K. Sarneczky and L. L. Kiss report their recovery of comet
P/2001 Q5 (cf. IAUC 7697) on R-band CCD images obtained with the
2.3-m reflector at Siding Spring (astrometry tabulated below).
Coma diameters and tail lengths:  Oct. 21.5 UT, 3", 6" in p.a. 95
deg (co-added 300-s image); 22.4, 3", 8" in p.a. 90 deg (co-added
180-s image).

COMET 17P/HOLMES
     This comet (currently near opposition) has been observed to be
undergoing a very large outburst in brightness; based on normal
behavior in recent apparitions, it was predicted to be near total
mag 16 for most of 2007 (H_15 approximately 9.5, from 2007 Comet
Handbook) -- and, indeed, observers have consistently reported it
around mag 16 +/- 1 since last May, L. Buzzi (Varese, Italy, 0.60-m
reflector) reporting the comet at mag 17.8 on Oct. 20.9 UT and G.
Muler (Lanzarate, Spain, 0.20-m reflector) measuring mag 16.8-17.3
on Oct. 23.0.  The first known detection of the current outburst
was communicated by M. Kidger (Herschel Science Centre, European
Space Astronomy Centre, Madrid), who writes that observations by J.
A. Henriquez Santana (Tenerife) on Oct. 24.067 show the comet at
``nuclear" mag 8.4 ("some 9 mag brighter than previously" seen)
with a 0.2-m reflector, and that the comet was brightening by 0.5
mag/hr "over the course of 6 hr"; the outburst was confirmed during
Oct. 24.07-24.09 by Muler and by R. Naves and M. Campas (Barcelona)
with a bright, almost-stellar inner coma (mag R = 7.3 in a 10"
square aperture on Oct. 24.136).  F. Kugel (Banon, France) reports
that unfiltered astrometric CCD images taken by C. Rinner and
himself on Oct. 24.21 with a 0.5-m reflector shows an object of
stellar appearance of mag 7.4 at the predicted position of 17P.
     Following a discussion-group e-mail alert of the outburst,
several other observers have confirmed the outburst.  E. Guido and
G. Sostero (Castellammare di Stabia, Italy, 0.25-m f/3.4 reflector)
write that ten co-added 5-s B-band CCD exposures taken remotely on
Oct. 24.34 with a 0.25-m reflector near Mayhill, NM, show the comet
as a bright, featureless, starlike object of total mag about 4.6.
A. Hale (Cloudcroft, NM) reports viewing the comet as an easy
naked-eye starlike object of mag 4.0 on Oct. 24.50.  S. Yoshida
(Yokohama City, Kanagawa, Japan) reports the comet to be visible
via naked eye even in a large city, at mag 3.5 on Oct. 24.55; with
a 6.6-cm refractor, it looked completely stellar.  Within two hours,
Yoshida adds that the comet had brightened an additional half a
magnitude, to mag 3.0 on Oct. 24.63 as seen via naked eye.  K.
Kadota (Ageo, Saitama-ken, Japan, 0.25-m f/5 reflector) notes that
his CCD image from Oct. 24.61 yields total mag 3.6 and coma
diameter 1'.7 (though starlike with no tail).
     Comet 17P also underwent a large outburst in brightness when
it was first discovered in Nov. 1892 near total visual mag 4 (which
was also about 12 mag over the "normal" brightness); at that time,
it faded by about 3 mag over the following week (e.g., Kronk 2003,
Cometography 2, 694).

COMET 17P/HOLMES
     H. Kobayashi, H. Kawakita, and A. Nishikoji, Kyoto Sangyo
University, report that they have obtained low-dispersion spectra
of comet 17P on Oct. 24.58 and 25.46 UT with a 28-cm telescope (+
F2SPEC spectrograph; range 380-750 nm, resolution 900 at 600 nm).
The comet's spectrum on Oct. 24.58 was dominated by reflected
sunlight, and there were no significant emission bands and lines
visible.  The Oct. 25.46 spectrum was still dominated by reflected
sunlight, but emission bands and lines (CN and C_2 bands, as well
as [O I] emission lines) appeared in the spectrum.  The authors
speculate that this delay in the visibility of emission might be at
least partly caused by sublimation from icy grains ejected at the
outburst.
     R. M. Wagner, LBT Observatory; S. Starrfield, Arizona State
University; G. Schwarz, West Chester University; S. Larson, Lunar
and Planetary Laboratory; and R. Kaitchuck, J. Childers, and G.
Turner, Ball State University, write that they obtained several
long-slit spectra (slit length 3'.7 in p.a. 90 deg; range 340-640
nm; resolution 0.6 nm) of comet 17P on Oct. 25.181 and 25.465 UT
with the Bok 2.3-m telescope on Kitt Peak.  The spectra exhibit a
strong reflected continuum arising from dust.  The spatial
continuum profile along the slit is strongly peaked in the inner
0'.5 but extends out to a diameter of about 1'.5; the profile also
appears asymmetric to the east and becomes more pronounced and
wider in the later spectrum, suggesting that dynamical effects
arising from the outburst are visible in the inner coma.  Molecular
emission bands of CN, C_3, C_2, and NH_2 -- typical of other
gaseous comets -- are detected, as well, and are prominent away
from the bright optocenter.  Emission from CN (0-0) can be traced
out to at least 2'.4 from the optocenter in each direction.
Further reductions and analyses are underway.  Additional
spectroscopy to study the evolution of the dust and gas is
encouraged.
     A. Fitzsimmons, Queen's University, Belfast; C. Snodgrass,
European Southern Observatory; and J. Southworth, University of
Warwick, report that spectra of comet 17P, centered on the central
condensation, were obtained on Oct. 26.05 UT using the 2.5-m Nordic
Optical Telescope (+ FIES echelle spectrograph; range 370-730 nm,
resolution 48000) on La Palma.  The spectra are dominated by a
reflected solar spectrum from dust grains. Molecular emission bands
due to CN at 388 nm, C_3 at 405 nm, and C_2 at 516 nm are also
visible.
     Further naked-eye magnitude estimates (cf. IAUC 8886):  Oct.
25.29 UT, 2.8 (C. W. Hergenrother, Tucson, AZ, U.S.A.); 26.07, 2.6
(A. Pereira, Carnaxide, Portugal); 26.90, 2.4 (J. Carvajal, Madrid,
Spain).

COMET 17P/HOLMES
     C. Snodgrass, European Southern Observatory; A. Fitzsimmons, Queen's
University, Belfast; H. Boehnhardt, Max-Planck-Institut fuer
Sonnensystemforschung; T. Lister, Las Cumbres Observatory; and T. Naylor
and C. Bell, University of Exeter, report on imaging of an expanding coma
associated with comet 17P in images taken with the 2.5-m Isaac Newton
Telescope (La Palma) and the 2.0-m Faulkes Telescope North (Haleakala)
between Oct. 24.9 and 26.5 UT.  Images were taken in broadband BVRI and
narrowband filters centered at 383, 515, and 816 nm.  The comet shows
the same appearance in all filters and is clearly dust-dominated.  The
unprocessed data clearly show a circular coma, with a fan of material
extending from the central condensation at p.a. 225 deg.  Processing using
adaptive Laplace filtering with a pyramid-box size of 4" to 10" produces a
ring marking the outer edge of the dust associated with this event.  The
central brightness peak in the coma is offset from the ring center by
around 1".3 at Oct. 24.9 and by 9".5 by Oct. 26.5.  The brightness
distribution in the ring varies with position angle, being fainter in the
sunward-coma hemisphere.  From the diameter of the edge of the expanding
structure, an approximate expansion speed of 400-600 m/s is estimated.
Analysis using a Larson-Sekanina algorithm reveals four or five arc-like
structures present in the near-nuclear region.  These could be due to
a fragmentation of the nucleus, but further observations of the central
coma region will be required to confirm this.  The brightness of the
central condensation within a 2"-radius aperture was R = 9.0 on Oct. 25.52
and R = 10.5 on Oct. 26.5.

     F. Colas and J. Lecacheux, Paris Observatory, report on observations of
comet 17P from Oct. 24 to 27 with the 1-m telescope at Pic du Midi
Observatory.  From a set of selected CCD images, the onset of the outer
dust shell, which is centered on the pseudo-nucleus, is estimated to have
occurred on Oct. 24.40 UT (i.e., the day after the main outburst; cf. IAUC
8886).  The outer shell's mean diameter, measured at the sharp edge, was
135$''$, or 160000 km, on Oct. 26.0.  The radius is growing a constant rate
of 0.575 km/s.  A detached coma blob, also expanding, is moving away from
the pseudo-nucleus:  it was apparently released on Oct. 24.8, or slightly
earlier; the motion vector of its photo-center is 77 m/s in p.a. 216 deg.

     G. Sostero and E. Guido, Remanzacco, Italy, report on their CCD
photometry of comet 17P with a 0.25-m f/12 reflector (image scale 0".6/pixel;
seeing around 2".7 FWHM) on Oct. 25.0 UT.  The total magnitudes as measured
through narrowband filters centered on dust continua were 2.2 in a red
filter (centered at 647 nm; FWHM = 10 nm) and about 3.5 in a blue filter
(centered at 450 nm; FWHM = 10 nm).  The photometric profile of the coma
showed an asymmetric distribution, with a sharp central condensation nearly
8" in diameter, offset almost 10" toward the southwest from the outer faint
coma whose total diameter was about 50".  The "color index" of the dust, in
the sense "blue continuum minus red continuum" was about +1.4.
Stacking of ninety red-filtered and fifth blue-filtered exposures, 10 s
each, consistently show the presence of a plume-like feature extending
almost 15" toward the southwest.

     J. McGaha (Tucson, AZ, U.S.A., 0.62-m reflector + R_c filter)
reports the following magnitudes from CCD photometry obtained of comet
17P on Oct. 25.35 UT, when he measured an outer coma diameter of 79"
and an inner coma diameter of 14":  60" aperture, mag 2.2; 30"
aperture, mag 2.4; 8" aperture, mag 4.0.

COMET C/2007 W3 (LINEAR)
     An apparently asteroidal object discovered by the LINEAR
project (discovery observation tabulated below), and posted on the
Minor Planet Center's NEOCP webpage, has been found to show
cometary appearance by several astrometric CCD observers, including
R. Holmes (Charleston, IL, U.S.A., 0.61-m f/4.0 astrograph; Dec.
1.31 UT; measurer S. Foglia; five stacked images show a coma
diameter of 6" and no tail); Q.-z. Ye (Department of Atmosphere
Science, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China; Lulin Sky Survey
0.41-m Ritchey-Chretien reflector; Dec. 2.6; four combined 60-s
unfiltered exposures show a small bright core < 2" in diameter with
a total coma diameter of about 7"-8" that was slightly elongated in
p.a. 90 deg); J. Young (Table Mountain, 0.61-m f/16 Cassegrain
reflector; Dec. 3.3; very round 6" coma with bright central
condensation and a possible hint of a broad, stubby 10" tail in p.a.
190 deg); and E. Guido and G. Sostero (Castellammare di Stabia,
Italy, remotely using a 0.25-m f/3.4 reflector located near Mayhill,
NM, U.S.A.; Dec. 3.5; 60 co-added unfiltered exposures show a coma
nearly 8" in diameter, slightly elongated toward the northeast).

COMET P/2006 W4 = P/1993 D1 (HILL)
     S. Foglia, R. Matson, and M. Tombelli report the
identification of "precovery" images of comet P/2006 W4 (cf. IAUC
8779), aided by the orbital elements published on MPEC 2007-X14
[with indicated Delta(T) = +1.06 days when run back to 1992], and
their astrometric measurements are provided below from the trails
on the two U.K. Schmidt Telescope plates.

URSID METEORS 2007
     P. Jenniskens, SETI Institute, writes that he and his colleagues E.
Lyytinen, M. Nissinen, I. Yrjola, and J. Vaubaillon (Jennniskens et al.
2007, JIMO 35, Dec. issue, in press) predict an outburst of Ursid meteors
associated with the imminent return of comet 8P/Tuttle to perihelion.  The
peak of the outburst is predicted at 20-22.2 hr UT on Dec. 22 (most likely
21h.4-22h.2), when the shower rate (ZHR) will be about 40-80 meteors/hr, or
4-8 times the normal Ursid activity.  The outburst may last as short as FWHM
= 2 hr if dominated by dust trails that were ejected during AD 700-900, or
as long as FWHM = 8.5 hr if older dust trails are involved.  Meteors should
radiate from a geocentric radiant of R.A. = 218.3 deg, Decl. = +75.5 deg
(equinox 2000.0), with velocities of V_g = 33.52 km/s.  These results were
derived by calculating the orbital evolution of meteoroids ejected by
comet 8P in the period AD 300-1400; it was found that encounters with
Jupiter at the ascending node of the comet orbit shortly after ejection
move the meteoroids in mean-motion resonances that evolve the dust into
earth-crossing orbits, creating a stream or filament that is elongated
perpendicular to the earth's path.

COMET 8P/TUTTLE
     D. Schleicher, Lowell Observatory; and L. Woodney, California
State University, San Bernardino, obtained narrowband imaging of
comet 8P on Dec. 15 and 16 using the Hall 1.1-m telescope at Lowell
Observatory.  Following the removal of a mean radial profile, a
series of successive spiral arcs are seen in the sunward hemisphere
for each of the brighter gas species (i.e., CN, C_3, and C_2).
With over 8 hr of imaging per night, along with 4 hr on Dec. 14
(see IAUC 8903), they find a nucleus rotation period of about 5.71
hr (estimated uncertainty 0.04 hr) based on 14 pairs of matching CN
images from various rotational cycles.  A single source appears to
produce most, if not all, of the coma morphology.

COMET C/2007 T5 (GIBBS)
     Improved elliptical orbital elements for this comet (cf. IAUC
8880) from MPEC 2007-Y07.

COMETS 194P/LINEAR AND 195P/HILL
     Comet P/2007 W2 = P/2000 B3 (cf. IAUC 8900) has been assigned
the permanent number 194P, and comet P/2006 W4 = P/1993 D1 (cf.
IAUC 8779, 8902, 8903) has been assigned the permanent number 195P
(cf. MPC 61390).

URSID METEORS 2007
     P. Jenniskens, SETI Institute, reports on elevated Ursid shower rates
between Dec. 22d18h and 23d01h UT, identified as dust ejected from comet
8P/Tuttle prior to 900 AD (cf. CBET 1159).  The outburst was detected in
radio forward-scatter meteor observations by E. Lyytinen (Helsinki, Finland)
during Dec. 22d18h-23d01h and by J. Brower (Vancouver, BC, Canada) during
Dec. 22d18h.5-22d22h.5.  I. Yrjola (Kuusankoski, Finland) reports that 25
Ursid meteors and 16 sporadic meteors were captured on video, with a peak at
around 21h15m, the Ursids being slightly brighter on average than other
meteors that night.
     The International Meteor Organization gathered visual observations from
19 observers, who measured a peak ZHR = 34 +/- 5 Ursids/hr (vs. predicted
40-70 meteors/hr) at solar longitude 270.53 +/- 0.03 deg during Dec.
22d21h12m +/- 42m, based on 116 Ursids (assuming a fixed population index
of chi = 2.5).  The predicted peak time was Dec. 22d20h-22d22h.2.

COMET C/2007 Y2 (McNAUGHT)
     R. H. McNaught reports his discovery of a comet (as tabulated
below) on CCD images taken with the 0.5-m Uppsala Schmidt telescope,
where the object appears marginally, but consistently, diffuse with
a coma diameter of about 10" in good seeing.  Three stacked 90-s R
images taken by D. M. Burton, Australian National University, with
the ANU 1.0-m f/8 reflector at Siding Spring on 2008 Jan. 1.69 show
a slightly diffuse comet (slightly involved with a star) with a 3"
tail in p.a. 20 deg.  Following posting on the Minor Planet
Center's 'NEOCP' webpage, C. Jacques and E. Pimentel write that
their astrometric CCD images from Jan. 1.14 (taken with a 0.30-m
f/3 reflector at Belo Horizonte, Brazil) show a central
condensation of size 10".

COMET 8P/TUTTLE
     J. K. Harmon, M. C. Nolan, and E. S. Howell, Arecibo
Observatory; and J. D. Giorgini, Jet Propulsion Laboratory,
obtained 300-m-resolution radar imaging of comet 8P/Tuttle on Jan.
2-4 using the Arecibo Observatory 12.6-cm planetary radar.  The
nucleus is a strongly bifurcated object, possibly a contact binary,
with two roughly spherical lobes measuring 3 and 4 km in diameter
(+/- 25 percent).  Following the changing rotation aspect from
night to night and within the 2.5-hr observing sessions gives a
preliminary estimate of 7.7 +/- 0.2 hr for the rotation period.  In
addition to the nucleus echo, there is a weak echo component from
large (> cm-sized) coma grains.
     Visual total-magnitude and coma-diameter estimates by J. J.
Gonzalez, Asturias, Spain:  2007 Dec. 26.77, 6.1, 15' (6x30
binoculars); 30.79, 5.6, 25' (naked eye); 2008 Jan. 3.79, 5.1, 30'
(naked eye); 6.78, 5.2, 30' (4x30 monocular); 9.84, 5.3, 30' (naked
eye).

COMET C/2008 A1 (McNAUGHT)
     R. H. McNaught reports his discovery of a comet (discovery
observation tabulated below) on CCD images taken with the 0.5-m
Uppsala Schmidt telescope at Siding Spring Observatory; the comet
shows a moderately condensed circular of diameter 30".  Following
posting on the Minor Planet Center's 'NEOCP' webpage, other
astrometric CCD observers have commented on the object's cometary
appearance, including J. Young (Table Mountain Observatory, 0.61-m
f/16 Cassegrain reflector), who reported a 12" round coma in poor
seeing conditions on Jan. 11.3 UT.  E. Guido and G. Sostero,
Castellammare di Stabia, Italy, write that their 27 co-added 60-s
unfiltered exposures from Jan. 11.3 (remotely using a 0.25-m f/3.4
reflector near Mayhill, NM, U.S.A.) show a broad fan-shaped coma of
diameter nearly 30", elongated toward the northeast.

COMETS C/2007 S5-S10 AND C/2007 T7-T11 (SOHO)
     Further to IAUC 8896, additional Kreutz-sungrazing comets have
been found on SOHO website images, as tabulated below.  C/2007 S5
was bright (mag 4) and teardrop-shaped in C3-coronagraph images; C2
images showed a long (0.75-deg), thin tail.  C/2007 S6, C/2007 S8,
C/2007 S9, and C/2007 T8 were described by K. Battams as tiny and
stellar in appearance (mag about 7, except mag 7.5 for C/2007 S8)
in C3 images; C2 images showed C/2007 S6 and C/2007 S8 to be very
faint and diffuse, while C/2007 S9 was "fuzzy" and faint, and
C/2007 T8 was diffuse.  C/2007 S7 appeared very diffuse and faint
(mag 8).  C/2007 S10 and C/2007 T7 were also small and stellar in
appearance (mag about 6) in C3 images, with the former being
diffuse and the latter a bit diffuse with a hint of tail in C2
images.  C/2007 T9 (also found by R. Matson and T. Hoffman) was
small and stellar in appearance (mag 6.5) in C3 images, and diffuse
with a hint of tail in C2 images.  C/2007 T10 was stellar in
appearance (mag 7) in C3 images, and diffuse in C2 images.  C/2007
T11 was very faint (mag about 8) and diffuse.

COMET 29P/SCHWASSMANN-WACHMANN
     This comet appears to be undergoing an outburst in brightness,
as indicated by the following visual total-magnitude estimates:
2007 Dec. 9.73 UT, 14.5 (S. Yoshida, Gunma, Japan, 0.40-m reflector);
31.10, 12.9 (M. Goiato, Aracatuba, Brazil, 0.22-m reflector); 2008
Jan. 3.87, 12.2 (J. J. Gonzalez, Asturias, Spain, 0.20-m reflector);
4.43, 12.8 (Yoshida); 11.89, 11.8 (M. L. Paradowski, Poleski
National Park, Poland, 0.20-m reflector); 13.83, 11.4 (Gonzalez);
14.90, 11.3 (V. Nevski, Vitebsk, Belarus, 0.3-m reflector).

COMET P/2008 A2 (LINEAR)
     An apparently asteroidal object discovered by the LINEAR
survey (discovery observation tabulated below), and posted on the
Minor Planet Center's 'NEOCP' webpage, has been found to show
cometary appearance on images obtained at Table Mountain:  CCD
images on Jan. 16.24-16.26 UT by J. Young (0.61-m reflector) show a
5"-6" round coma of mag 19.0 and a bright central condensation in
marginal seeing, and a 4" coma is visible on images from Jan. 19.1.
Young adds that the comet has changed brightness considerably,
being at mag 19.5 on Jan. 14, 19.3 on Jan. 18, and 20.2 on Jan. 19
-- though the coma is less pronounced on these other dates (the Jan.
18 images were obtained by D. Mayes).

COMETS C/2007 T12-T14, C/2007 U3, C/2007 U4 (SOHO)
     Further to IAUC 8910, additional Kreutz-sungrazing comets have
been found on SOHO website images, as tabulated below.  C/2007 T12
was small and diffuse (mag 7.5).  C/2007 T13 was extremely faint
(mag about 8) and diffuse.  C/2007 T14 was extremely faint (mag
about 7.5) and tiny in C3-coronagraph images, and stellar in
appearance (mag 7.5) in C2 images.  C/2007 U3 was stellar in
appearance (mag about 6) in C3 images, and fairly condensed with a
hint of a thin, faint tail in C2 images.  C/2007 U4 was diffuse and
elongated (mag 7.5).

COMETS C/2007 U5 AND C/2007 U6 (SOHO)
     Further to IAUC 8912, additional Kreutz-sungrazing comets have
been found on SOHO website images, as tabulated below.  C/2007 U5
appeared stellar (mag about 7.5) in C3 images, and was slightly
diffuse with no tail in C2 images.  C/2007 U6 was very faint (mag
about 8) and quite diffuse.

COMET C/2008 C1 (CHEN-GAO)
     J. Beize, Beijing Technology and Business University, reports
the discovery of a comet by Tao Chen (Suzhou City, Jiangsu province,
China) on a CCD image taken on Feb. 1 by Xing Gao (Urumqi, Xinjiang
province) with a wide-field 7-cm, 200-mm-f.l., f/2.8 camera lens (+
Canon 350D camera) at Gao's Xingming Observatory, Mt. Nanshan, in
the course of a nova survey; subsequent images of the comet were
identified on earlier exposures that had been taken by Gao on Jan.
30 (when the comet appeared at mag 14.0) and Jan. 31 (mag 13.5),
and Gao obtained confirming images on Feb. 2 (showing that its
brightness increase had continued to mag 12.0).  The astrometry
tabulated below are only approximate measures of the positions from
the poor-scale Xingming images (computer problems has prevented use
of an astrometry program to derive better positions, which should
follow later).  Following posting on the Minor Planet Center's
'NEOCP' webpage, numerous CCD astrometrists have commented on the
comet's appearance, including J. Lacruz, Madrid, Spain (0.40-m
Ritchey-Chretien reflector, Feb. 2.8 UT; condensed inner coma of
diameter 20"; outer coma of diameter 50", slightly elongated in p.a.
35 deg); L. Buzzi and F. Luppi, Varese, Italy (0.60-m f/4.64
reflector, Feb. 2.9; coma at least 2'.5 wide, elongated in p.a.
about 30 deg); T. Kryachko, Moscow, Russia (0.30-m f/7.7 Ritchey-
Chretien 'Astrotel-Caucasus' telescope in Karachay-Cherkessia,
Russia, operated remotely, Feb. 2.89; 1'.2 round coma with central
condensation, possibly elongated in p.a. 50 deg or 320 deg;
communicated by D. Denisenko); M. Pietschnig, Vienna, Austria
(0.35-m f/7 Schmidt-Cassegrain reflector, Feb. 2.95; coma diameter
about 2'); and P. C. Sherrod, Conway, AR, U.S.A. (0.51-m f/4
Schmidt-Cassegrain reflector, Feb. 3.04-3.06, with high clouds
present; coma diameter about 22", quite uniform in both intensity
and in symmetry, with a very distinct stellar condensation of mag
16.4 and some indications of a tail in p.a. about 40 deg).

COMET P/2008 C2 (TICHY)
     M. Tichy and J. Ticha, Klet Observatory, report their recovery
of comet P/2000 U6 (cf. IAUC 7515) on CCD images obtained on Feb. 3
with the 1.06-m KLENOT Telescope, with Tichy's astrometric measures
given below.  They subsequently identified earlier images from Jan. 11.

COMETS C/2007 S11, C/2007 U7-U13, C/2007 V3-V10 (SOHO)
     Further to IAUC 8914, additional near-sun comets have been
found on SOHO website images, as tabulated below; all were Kreutz
sungrazers except for C/2007 S11 (no known group affiliation) and
the Meyer-group objects C/2007 U7 and C/2007 V10.  C/2007 S11 was
tiny, stellar in appearance, and very faint (mag 7.5-8).  C/2007 U7,
C/2007 U11, C/2007 V5, and C/2007 V10 were also tiny, stellar in
appearance, and faint (mag about 7.5); C/2007 V8 was described
similarly by K. Battams (but with mag about 8).  C/2007 V3 was very
diffuse and elongated (mag about 7.5).  C/2007 V6 was very faint
(mag about 8), very diffuse, and elongated.  C/2007 V7 was
extremely faint (mag about 8.5) and very diffuse.  The other seven
objects all appeared stellar in C3 images (C/2007 U8 was of mag
about 6.5, C/2007 U9 was of mag about 7.5, C/2007 U10 was of mag
about 7, C/2007 U12 was of mag about 6, C/2007 U13 and C/2007 V9
were of mag about 6.5, and C/2007 V4 was of mag about 5.5); in C2
images, C/2007 U8 was elongated and somewhat diffuse, C/2007 V4 had
a faint thin tail about 23' long at 5.8 solar radii on Nov. 3.560
UT, and C/2007 V9 was mostly stellar in appearance with a hint of a
short faint tail -- while the remaining four comets were slightly
diffuse (C/2007 U9 being described as faint, and the other three
objects showing a hint of a faint tail).  New finder code:  ZJ = Z.
Jin (cf. IAUC 8365).

COMETS C/2007 V11-V14, C/2007 W4-W12, C/2007 X1-X4 (SOHO)
     Further to IAUC 8918, additional near-sun comets have been
found on SOHO website images, as tabulated below; all were Kreutz
sungrazers except for C/2007 X1 (no known group affiliation).
C/2007 V11 was bright (mag 4) with a short tail in C3 images; in C2
images, it also showed a short, faint tail.  C/2007 V12 was diffuse
with a hint of faint tail (mag about 7).  C/2007 V13 and C/2007 X2
were extremely faint (mag about 8.5) and diffuse.  C/2007 V14 was
tiny and stellar in appearance (mag about 7.5).  C/2007 W4 and
C/2007 X1 were small and stellar in appearance (mag about 6.5).
C/2007 W5 was tiny, very faint (mag about 8), and slightly diffuse.
C/2007 W6 was tiny, very faint (mag about 7.5), and quite diffuse.
C/2007 W7 was stellar in appearance (mag 6.5) in C3 images, and it
appeared as a bright 'teardrop' in C2 images.  C/2007 W8 was faint
(mag 7.5) and very diffuse.  C/2007 W9 was very small and diffuse
(mag 8).  C/2007 W10 was very diffuse and elongated (mag 7.5).
C/2007 W11 and W12 were small and somewhat diffuse (mag 7).  C/2007
X3 was tiny, faint (mag 7.5), and slightly diffuse.  C/2007 X4 was
stellar in appearance (mag about 5.5) in C3 images, and quite
condensed and teardrop-shaped in C2 images.  New finder code:  MK =
M. Kusiak.

COMETS C/2007 X5-X15 (SOHO)
     Further to IAUC 8919, additional near-sun comets have been
found on SOHO website images; all were Kreutz sungrazers except for
Meyer-group objects C/2007 X7, which were both very small and
stellar in appearance (mag about 7).  C/2007 X5 was stellar in
appearance and small (mag about 6.5) in C3 images, and slightly
diffuse with no tail in C2 images.  K. Battams describes C/2007 X6
as extremely faint (mag about 8.5), diffuse, and small.  C/2007 X8,
C/2007 X9 (which was also found by T. Hoffman), and C/2007 X12 were
tiny and stellar in appearance in C3 images (reaching mag about 7,
except C/2007 X12, which reached mag about 7.5); in C2 images, they
appeared diffuse, with C/2007 X8 appearing a little elongated and
the other two objects showing no tail.  C/2007 X10 was teardrop-
shaped and very bright (mag about 3) in C3 images, and showed a
broad head and a thin tail in C2 images.  C/2007 X11, which was
also found by H. Su, was very diffuse and faint (mag about 8).
C/2007 X13 was very diffuse, elongated, and reached mag about 7.5.
C/2007 X15 was small and diffuse (mag about 7.5).  New finder
codes:  MK = M. Kusiak; PC = P. Collison.

COMETS C/2007 Y3-Y9 (SOHO)
     Further to IAUC 8920, additional near-sun comets have been
found on SOHO website images; all were Kreutz sungrazers except for
Marsden-group member C/2007 Y4 and Meyer-group member C/2007 Y8 --
both of which were small and stellar in appearance, reaching mag
about 6.5 (though the latter object brightened extremely fast in
the first hour or two of visibility and became noticeably larger in
that time -- atypical for Meyer-group objects).  K. Battams
suggested the identity of C/2007 Y4 with C/2002 R4 (cf. MPEC 2002-
S35; IAUC 7984), and B. G. Marsden published a linked orbit on MPEC
2008-B49 that suggests an approach to within 0.063 AU of the earth
on 1997 June 14.7 (T = 1997 May 15.2).  C/2007 Y3 was quite diffuse
and small (mag about 7.5).  C/2007 Y5 was quite bright (mag about
5.5) and teardrop-shaped (with a hint of a stubby tail).  C/2007 Y6
was very diffuse (mag about 8) with a hint of a tail.  C/2007 Y7
was tiny and a little diffuse (mag about 8.5).  C/2007 Y9 was quite
diffuse, only reaching mag 7.5.

COMET C/2008 H1 (LINEAR)
     An apparently asteroidal object discovered by the LINEAR project
(discovery observation below) and posted on the Minor Planet Center's 'NEOCP'
webpage, was first reported as cometary by E. Reina L., Masquefa Observatory,
Hospitalet, Spain, on Apr. 19.0 UT (0.25-m f/3.3 Schmidt-Cassegrain);
he noted a 25-arcsec coma of total mag 16.6 and a 43-arcsec tail in
p.a. 233 deg.  E. Guido and G. Sostero, observing remotely from Mayhill,
New Mexico, on Apr. 19.5 (0.25-m f/3.4 reflector), report that stacking
20 unfiltered 60-second CCD exposures in strong moonlight showed the object to
be diffuse in comparison to stars of similar brightness.  J. M. Aymami,
Observatorio Carmelita, Tiana, Spain (0.13-m f/5.9 refractor), remarked
on a suspected coma in p.a. 209 deg on Apr. 19.8.  At the same time
R. Apitzsch, Wildberg, Germany (0.35-m f/4.2 reflector) noted a tail
to the southwest.

COMET P/2008 G2 (SHOEMAKER)
     While examining Apr. 10 single-night observations of minor planets
reported by the Catalina Sky Survey to the Minor Planet Center, T. B. Spahr
identified a candidate (first observation given below) for comet P/1994 J3
= 1994k = 1994 XXVIII (Shoemaker, a.k.a. Shoemaker 4; cf. IAUC 5991, 5998,
etc.).  The undersigned then identified a corresponding candidate in the
Catalina data from Apr. 1.  In each case the observer was R. A. Kowalski,
and nothing was reported about the object's appearance.  The indicated
correction to the prediction on MPC 56803 (ephemeris on MPC 60734) is
-1.7 days.

COMET C/2008 H1 (LINEAR)
     An apparently asteroidal object discovered by the LINEAR
project (discovery observation below) and posted on the Minor
Planet Center's 'NEOCP' webpage, was first reported as cometary by
E. Reina L., Hospitalet, Spain, on Apr. 19.0 UT (0.25-m f/3.3
Schmidt-Cassegrain reflector), who noted a 25" coma of total mag
16.6 and a 43" tail in p.a. 233 deg.  E. Guido and G. Sostero,
observing remotely from Mayhill, NM, U.S.A., on Apr. 19.5 (0.25-m
f/3.4 reflector), report that stacking twenty unfiltered 60-s CCD
exposures in strong moonlight showed the object to be diffuse in
comparison to stars of similar brightness.  J. M. Aymami, Tiana,
Spain (0.13-m f/5.9 refractor), remarked on a suspected coma in
p.a. 209 deg on Apr. 19.8.  At the same time R. Apitzsch, Wildberg,
Germany (0.35-m f/4.2 reflector) noted a tail to the southwest.

COMET C/2008 J1 (BOATTINI)
     A. Boattini reports his discovery of a comet with a coma
diameter of about 50" and a fan-shaped tail 2' long in p.a. 235 deg
on Catalina Sky Survey CCD images obtained with the 0.68-m Schmidt
telescope (discovery observation tabulated below).  Following
posting on the Minor Planet Center's 'NEOCP' webpage, several other
CCD astrometrists have found this object to show cometary
appearance.  S. Nakano, Sumoto, Japan, reports that images obtained
on May 2.73-2.74 UT by A. Asami and T. Sakamoto (Bisei Spaceguard
Center 1.0-m f/3 reflector) show a coma diameter of 20" and a tail
24" long in p.a. 230 deg.  R. Apitzsch (Wildberg, Germany, 0.35-m
f/4.2 reflector, May 3.02-3.03) finds a 1' tail toward the
southwest.  V. Gonano, E. Guido, and G. Sostero (Remanzacco, Italy,
0.45-m f/4.4 reflector) report that thirty stacked 60-s unfiltered
exposures obtained during May 3.02-3.05 show a compact coma about
15" in diameter (total mag about 14.7) with a central condensation
and an apparent tail 35" long in p.a. 280 deg.  R. Ligustri
(Talmassons, Udine, Italy, 0.35-m f/5 reflector, May 3.08-3.09)
writes that thirty 60-s exposures show a faint tail 45" long.  J. M.
Aymami (Tiana, Spain, 0.25-m f/5 reflector, May 3.11-3.12) finds a
nuclear condensation and a short, fan-like tail approximately 16"
long in p.a. 238 deg.

COMET C/2008 J2 (BESHORE)
     E. Beshore reports his discovery of a comet with a bright,
condensed condensation about 20" across and a faint tail in p.a.
270 deg on images taken with the Mt. Lemmon 1.5-m reflector
(discovery observation tabulated below).  After posting on the
Minor Planet Center's 'NEOCP' webpage, J. C. Pelle reported a
diffuse head and a tail in p.a. 250 deg on images taken by N. Teamo
(Punaauia, French Polynesia, 0.41-m reflector) on May 6.52-6.56 UT.
A. C. Gilmore (Mt. John 1.0-m reflector, May 6.53-6.55) found a
bright circular coma of diameter about 16" (total mag 14.4-14.5 in
a 7"-radius aperture) and a faint, short tail seen as slight
diffuseness on the west side (p.a. about 250 deg).  G. Sostero and
E. Guido (Remanzacco, Italy, 0.2-m reflector, May 6.95) write that
co-added unfiltered exposures show an extremely compact 20" coma of
almost uniform brightness, slightly elongated toward the southwest;
remote Cousins-R-band imaging with a 0.25-m reflector near Mayhill,
NM, U.S.A., on May 7.37 yields coma diameter about 25" (total mag
about 13.9), elongated toward p.a. 240 deg.  Other reports of
cometary appearance have been received from P. Birtwhistle, Great
Shefford, Berkshire, England (0.40-m reflector, May 6.96-6.97;
diffuse with a concentrated center, the 22" coma having a softer
edge towards p.a. 260 deg but no obvious tail); J. M. Aymami, Tiana,
Spain (0.25-m reflector, May 6.97-6.98; nebulous object of mag
about 14.8; L. Buzzi, Varese, Italy (0.60-m reflector, May 7.03-
7.09; several stacked images reveal a compact coma, clearly
elongated with a broad tail at least 20" long); C. Jacques and E.
Pimentel, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil (0.30-m reflector,
May 7.08-7.09; condensed, elongated coma of size 18".7 x 31".3);
J. E. McGaha, Tucson, AZ, U.S.A. (0.36-m reflector, May 7.29-7.32;
starlike nuclear condensation with a 3" coma, elongated 5" toward
p.a. 260 deg); and J. Young, Table Mountain (0.61-m reflector,
May 7.32-7.35; 12" coma, slightly elongated toward p.a. 260 deg,
with a hint of a poorly defined tail >/= 40" long between between
p.a. 245 deg and 275 deg).

The available astrometry, the following preliminary parabolic
orbital elements, and an ephemeris appear on MPEC 2008-J39; this
comet may be of short period.

COMET C/2008 J3 (McNAUGHT)
     R. H. McNaught reports his discovery of another comet on CCD
images obtained with the 0.5-m Uppsala Schmidt telescope at Siding
Spring (discovery observation tabulated below), the object
described as having a condensed coma of diameter 6"-8" and a faint
fan tail 30"-40" long spanning 20 deg toward p.a. 240 deg.  His
images on May 11.66 UT show a coma with FWHM = 6" and a narrow tail
45" long in p.a. 245 deg; stacked images taken by McNaught on May
12.64 show a 40" tail in p.a. 245 deg that appears as a fan
spanning p.a. 230-260 deg.  Following posting on the Minor Planet
Center's 'NEOCP' webpage, A. C. Gilmore and P. M. Kilmartin (Mt.
John 1.0-m f/7.7 reflector) report that their CCD images from May
11.62-11.63 show a coma diameter of about 7" and a narrow tail 25"
long in p.a. 250 deg; their exposures from May 12.71-12.72 show a
tail 25" long in p.a. 250 deg, a coma diameter of about 10" with
total magnitude 18.7-19.0 measured in a 12"-diameter aperture, and
a starlike condensation of mag 19.9 as measured in a 5"-diameter
aperture.  N. Teamo, Punaauia, French Polynesia, finds a tail 15"
long in p.a. 250 deg on his images taken on May 12.55-12.58 with a
0.41-m f/8.0 reflector; J. C. Pelle measures a tail 7' long in p.a.
240 deg from additional images taken by Teamo on May 12.61-12.63.

The available astrometry, the following preliminary parabolic
orbital elements, and an ephemeris appear on MPEC 2008-J64; this
comet may be of short period.

COMET C/2008 J4 (McNAUGHT)
     R. H. McNaught reports his discovery of yet another comet on
CCD images obtained with the 0.5-m Uppsala Schmidt telescope at
Siding Spring (discovery observation tabulated below), when the
object appeared very diffuse with a coma elongated in p.a. 240 deg
and a diffuse 5' fan tail spanning 20-30 deg that curved to p.a.
about 250 deg.  Stacked images from May 11.76 show that a
condensation in the very diffuse coma was elongated along p.a. 240
deg for about 20", with a 2'.2 tail in p.a. 230 deg possibly
curving to the south; stacked images in better seeing on May 11.81
showed the head as a diffuse oval patch with the leading edge
appearing as almost a point.  Additional stacked images from May
12.76 reveal a very diffuse head of size 30" x 40" with a 2'.0 tail
in p.a. 230 deg; the leading edge of the comet is angled, giving an
appearance of just a tail with the brightest part of the comet
behind where the nuclear condensation would normally be expected.
Following posting on the Minor Planet Center's 'NEOCP' webpage, J.
C. Pelle reports that he measured a tail 7' long in p.a. 240 deg
from images taken by N. Teamo (Punaauia, French Polynesia, 0.41-m
f/8.0 reflector) on May 12.6; images taken on May 13.6 showed no
visible condensation, making for difficult measurement.

COMET C/2008 J3 (McNAUGHT)
     Corrigendum.  The information on IAUC 8942 from Pelle was
concerning comet C/2008 J4 (see above), not C/2008 J3.

COMET C/2008 J5 (GARRADD)
     G. J. Garradd reports his discovery of a comet with a 40" coma
and a broad 20" tail toward the southwest on CCD survey images
obtained with the 0.5-m Uppsala Schmidt telescope (discovery
observation tabulated below).  Following posting on the Minor
Planet Center's 'NEOCP' webpage, C. Jacques and E. Pimentel (Belo
Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, 0.30-m f/3 reflector) write that
their CCD images from May 4.3 UT show a condensed coma 30" in
diameter.  J. C. Pelle found a diffuse coma of diameter 20" with a
bright central condensation and a faint tail 20" long in p.a. 220
deg on images taken on May 14.54-14.57 by N. Teamo with a 0.41-m
f/8 reflector at Punaauia, French Polynesia.  R. Ligustri
(Talmassons, Udine, Italy) found a 24" coma on stacked CCD
exposures obtained remotely with a 0.25-m f/6 reflector at Moorook,
South Australia, on May 14.74-14.76.

COMET P/2008 J2 (BESHORE)
     Additional observations have shown this comet (cf. IAUC 8941)
to be of short period; the following orbital elements are from MPEC
2008-J68:

COMET C/2008 J6 (HILL)
     R. E. Hill reports his discovery of a comet with a diffuse
coma but a clear nuclear condensation and a fan-shaped tail 1' long
in p.a. 210 deg on four co-added 30-s Catalina Sky Survey exposures
obtained in 2"-4" seeing with the 0.68-m Schmidt telescope
(discovery observation tabulated below).  Following posting on the
'NEOCP' webpage, J. C. Pelle writes that images taken by N. Teamo
(0.41-m reflector at Punaauia, French Polynesia) on May 14.6 UT
show a diffuse coma of diameter 45" and a bright central
condensation.  S. Nakano reports that CCD images taken by Y. Ikari
(Moriyama, Shiga-ken, Japan, 0.25-m reflector) on May 14.8 show a
coma of diameter 15" and a short fan tail in p.a. 240 deg.  E.
Guido and G. Sostero write that co-added unfiltered exposures
obtained remotely with a 0.25-m reflector near Mayhill, NM, U.S.A.,
on May 15.4 show a sharp central condensation about 8" in diameter,
surrounded by a faint, extended coma about 25" in diameter (total
mag 15.5) and a fan-shaped tail 30" long toward the southwest.  J.
E. McGaha (Tucson, AZ, U.S.A., 0.36-m reflector) reports that his
four stacked 60-s exposures with on May 15.4 show a round coma 14"
in diameter with a tail 48" long in p.a. 242 deg.

COMET C/2008 J1 (BOATTINI)
     Improved parabolic orbital elements for this comet (cf. IAUC 8940)
from MPEC 2008-J55:

COMET P/2008 J3 (McNAUGHT)
     Additional observations have led to improved orbital elements
that show this comet (cf. IAUC 8942) to be of short period:  T =
2009 Mar. 11.043 TT, q = 2.27346 AU, e = 0.41559, Peri. = 5.035 deg,
Node = 9.764 deg, i = 25.400 deg (equinox 2000.0), P = 7.67 years
(from MPEC 2008-K54).

COMET P/2008 L1 (LARSEN)
     R. S. McMillan, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona,
reports that J. V. Scotti has recovered comet P/1997 V1 (Larsen; cf. IAUC 6767)
with the Spacewatch 1.8-m f/2.7 reflector at Kitt Peak (recovery observation
below).  On June 9.4 UT Scotti described the coma as of diameter 9", and there
was a faint tail extending 0'.15 in p.a. 243 deg; on June 10.4 he gave the
coma diameter as 10", the tail extending 0'.11 in p.a. 252 deg.  The indicated
correction to the prediction on MPC 54170 (ephemeris on MPC 62064) is
Delta T = -2.0 days.

COMET P/2008 L1 (LARSEN)
     R. S. McMillan, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of
Arizona, reports that J. V. Scotti has recovered comet P/1997 V1
(cf. IAUC 6767) with the Spacewatch 1.8-m f/2.7 reflector at Kitt
Peak (recovery observation tabulated below).  On June 9.4 UT,
Scotti described the coma as of diameter 9", and there was a faint
tail extending 0'.15 in p.a. 243 deg; on June 10.4, he gave the
coma diameter as 10", the tail extending 0'.11 in p.a. 252 deg.
The indicated correction to the prediction on MPC 54170 (ephemeris
on MPC 62064) is Delta(T) = -2.0 days.

COMET C/2008 L2 (HILL)
     R. E. Hill reports his discovery of a comet on CCD images
taken with the 0.68-m Catalina Schmidt telescope (discovery
observation tabulated below), four co-added 30-s exposures on June
12 showing the new object with a 5"-7" coma and a short, diffuse
tail in p.a. 270 deg in 2"-4" seeing; co-added images from June
13.4 UT show a cendensed 12"-14" coma with a 10" diffuse tail in
p.a. 290 deg, and co-added images from June 14.4 show a diffuse,
fan-shaped tail about 20" long in p.a. 250 deg.  Following posting
on the Minor Planet Center's 'NEOCP' webpage, J. M. Aymami (Tiana,
Spain, 0.25-m reflector) writes that co-added CCD images from June
13.1 show a quasi-stellar object with a faint tail 35" long in p.a.
256 deg.

COMETS C/2008 C6, C/2008 C7, C/2008 C8, C/2008 C9 (SOHO)
     Further to IAUC 8933, additional apparent comets have been
found on SOHO website images; all are Kreutz sungrazers except for
C/2008 C9 (non-group).  C/2008 C6 (mag 7.5) and C/2008 C7 (mag 7)
were both stellar in appearance.  C/2008 C8 reached mag about 5.5
and appeared teardrop-shaped in C3 images, while it was a very
faint, thin streak in C2 images.  C/2008 C9 was marginally diffuse
and very small (mag about 7.5).  An asterisk in the instrumentation
column below indicates that astrometry was also obtained from
STEREO-A/SECCHI HI1 images (see IAUC 8926).

COMET C/2008 L3 (HILL)
     R. E. Hill reports his discovery of another comet on CCD
images taken with the 0.68-m Catalina Schmidt telescope (discovery
observation tabulated below), the co-added images from the
discovery night showing a diffuse coma of diameter about 10"-12"
and a diffuse, fan-shaped tail 1'-2' long in p.a. 100 deg;
additional co-added images from June 14.2 UT show a poorly defined
diffuse nuclear region, a coma diameter of 8"-10", and a broad tail
fan about 2' long in p.a. 110 deg.  Following posting on the Minor
Planet Center's 'NEOCP' webpage, several other CCD astrometrists
have reported cometary appearance.  J. E. McGaha (Tucson, AZ, U.S.A.,
0.36-m reflector) writes that his stacked images from June 13.4 UT
show a round 20" coma without condensation and an apparent ill-
defined 45" elongation in p.a. 150 deg; his stacked images from
June 14.2 show a round 30" coma without condensation.  R. Ligustri
(Talmassons, Udine, Italy, 0.35-m reflector, June 13.9) notes that
stacked images show a 30" coma elongated in p.a. 119 deg.  M.
Pietschnig (Vienna, Austria, 0.35-m reflector, June 13.9) finds the
comet diffuse with a 10" coma, a bright knot 5" from the coma's
center in p.a. 117 deg, and a tail about 30" long in p.a. 120 deg.
G. Hug (Eskridge, KS, U.S.A., 0.7-m reflector, June 14.14-14.15)
detects a short, diffuse tail in p.a. about 100 deg.  P.
Birtwhistle (Great Shefford, Berkshire, England, 0.40-m reflector,
June 15.0) reports a diffuse, poorly condensed coma of diameter 10"
in poor seeing.

COMETS C/2008 D5-D9 (SOHO)
     Further to IAUC 8953, additional apparent comets have been
found on SOHO website images; all are Kreutz sungrazers except for
C/2008 D6 (Meyer group).  C/2008 D5 and C/2008 D7 were small,
stellar in appearance, and of mag about 7.  C/2008 D6 was elongated
but not diffuse (mag about 7).  C/2008 D8 was slightly diffuse and
very faint (mag 7.5).  C/2008 D9 was slightly diffuse and small
(mag 7) in C3 images, but very diffuse and very faint in C2 images.
An asterisk in the instrumentation column below indicates that
astrometry was also obtained from STEREO-A/SECCHI HI1 images (see
IAUC 8926).

COMETS C/2008 E7-E9, C/2008 G3, AND C/2008 G4 (SOHO)
     Further to IAUC 8955, additional apparent comets have been
found on SOHO website images; all are Kreutz sungrazers except for
C/2008 E7 (non-group).  C/2008 E8 was small, stellar in appearance,
and of mag about 7.  C/2008 E7 was visible in C3 images for a day
and a half (peaking at mag about 6 around Mar. 5.33 UT) before
cutting across the C2 field-of-view and fading out; it was basically
stellar in appearance, though it may have been slightly diffuse and
marginally elongated (when it was very faint) in C2 images.  C/2008
E9 was very faint (mag about 7-7.5) and slightly diffuse in C3
images, and very diffuse and elongated in C2 images.  C/2008 G3 was
very diffuse and very faint (mag about 8).  C/2008 G4 was small,
condensed, and teardrop-shaped (mag about 7).

EDITORIAL NOTICE
     A new edition--the seventeenth--of the MPC/CBAT "Catalogue of Cometary
Orbits", complete through the entries in the June 2008 batch of the Minor
Planet Circulars, will shortly be available.  Given that the catalogue includes
3815 orbits for 3708 cometary apparitions, it was decided to place the 1490
orbits of comets observed only from SOHO, STEREO, SMM and SOLWIND in a
separate section.  There is also a section giving the 1139 orbits for 1062
apparitions of the 200 numbered comets.  Except for the nine of these comets
that are considered "lost", there are tabulations of the osculating elements
for the standard epochs 2007 Oct. 27.0, 2008 May 14.0, 2008 Nov. 30.0, 2009
June 18.0, 2010 Jan. 4.0 and 2010 July 23.0.  "Original" and "future"
reciprocal semimajor axes are given for 499 high-quality long-period orbits.
The 195-page catalogue sells for $60.00 ($80.00 for airmail delivery outside
North America).  There is also an e-mail edition (with just the basic orbital
information) for $80.00.  Orders should be sent to Mail Stop 18,
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138,
U.S.A., iausubs@cfa.harvard.edu or FAX +1-617-495-7231.

COMET C/2007 W1 (BOATTINI)
     A. J. Lovell, Agnes Scott College; and E. S. Howell, Arecibo
Observatory, report detection of 18-cm OH lines in comet C/2007 W1
with the 100-m Green Bank Telescope.  Hyperfine ratios of lines at
1667, 1665, 1612, and 1720 MHz are 8.6:4.8:1.1:1.  Production rates
log Q(OH) are as follows:  June 13.75 UT, 28.20; 14.79, 28.21;
15.78, 28.27.  Mapping at 8' scale suggests that collisional
quenching is present in the inner 20000 km of the coma.  Line
shapes are consistent with parent (water) outflow velocity of 0.78
km/s.
     Visual total-magnitude estimates (cf. IAUC 8951) by R. Salvo,
Montevideo, Uruguay (7x50 binoculars):  June 8.95 UT, 5.6; 10.93,
5.5; 12.91, 5.5; 30.35, 6.0.

COMETS C/2008 G5 AND C/2008 G6 (SOHO)
     Further to IAUC 8956, additional apparent comets have been
found on SOHO website images.  C/2008 G5 (a Kreutz sungrazer) was
very diffuse, very faint (mag 8), and elongated.  C/2008 G6, which
was small and stellar in appearance (mag about 7.5), was suggested
by R. Kracht to be a return of the Kracht-group presumed-comet
C/2002 S11 (cf. IAUC 7991), and an orbit by B. G. Marsden on MPEC
2008-L29 links the two apparitions with an orbital period of about
5.54 yr.

COMET C/2008 FK_75 (LEMMON-SIDING SPRING)
     An apparently asteroidal object that was discovered in the
course of the Mt. Lemmon Survey (and given the designation 2008
FK_75 on MPS 244903; additional observations on MPS 245852) was
rediscovered in the course of the Siding Spring survey (again as
apparently asteroidal) on July 1 (discovery observations tabulated
below) and posted on the Minor Planet Center's 'NEOCP' webpage
before the identity was found.  J. Young writes that images taken
with the Table Mountain 0.61-m f/16 Cassegrain reflector on July
3.2 UT show a 6"-diameter round, diffuse coma with a slight
central condensation; there is no visible tail seen with long or
stacked exposures, but the comet was low and in a somewhat-light-
polluted area of the sky.  Young adds that additional exposures
taken with the same telescope by M. Hicks on July 7.2 again show a
diffuse, round coma of diameter 6" with no tail.  R. Holmes
(Charleston, IL, U.S.A., 0.81-m f/4.0 astrograph) reports that the
object does not appear stellar on his images from July 6.1, the
object being somewhat larger than stars of similar brightness).

CATALOGUE OF COMETARY ORBITS 2008
     A new 195-page edition -- the seventeenth -- of the MPC/CBAT
Catalogue of Cometary Orbits has now been published.  The catalogue
includes 3815 orbits for 3708 cometary apparitions, and there are
tabulations of the osculating elements for six standard epochs
beginning 2007 Oct. 27.0 for periodic comets.  The 195-page
catalogue sells for $60.00 ($80.00 for airmail delivery outside
North America).  There is also an e-mail edition (with just the
basic orbital information) for $80.00.  Orders should be sent to
the address in the header of this Circular.

COMET C/2008 N1 (HOLMES)
     An apparently asteroidal object discovered by Robert E. Holmes,
Jr., Charleston, IL, U.S.A., on CCD images taken with a 0.40-m
f/5.8 Schmidt-Cassegrain reflector (discovery observation tabulated
below), and posted on the Minor Planet Center's 'NEOCP' webpage,
has been found to show cometary appearance by other CCD
astrometrists.  P. Birtwhistle (Great Shefford, Berkshire, England,
0.40-m f/6 Schmidt-Cassegrain reflector) reports that the object
appears slightly (about 10 percent) larger and more diffuse than
nearby stars of similar brightness in a 23-min exposure from July
4.08 UT, while a 400-s exposure shows the object to be "soft" with
very little central condensation and a diameter of 4", with a
possible faint elongation 5" long in p.a. 225 deg (but not
significantly different from stellar images).  L. Buzzi (Varese,
Italy, 0.60-m f/4.6 reflector) writes that two series of stacked
image totalling 30 min of exposure from July 5.03-5.07 show a
nearly stellar coma apparently elongated about 10" toward p.a.
about 190 deg; his stacked exposures from July 6.0 in very good
seeing show an image slightly larger than nearby stars of similar
brightness but with no tail or elongation.  S. Foglia reports that
analysis of Holmes' images from July 2.35, 5.4, and 6.4 show a
stellar appearance, though the size of the images appear slightly
larger than stars of similar brightness.  J. Lacruz, La Canada,
Spain, reports that his "blinking" of sets of images taken
(apparently with a 0.3-m reflector) on July 5.06 show a diffuse
coma about 12" in diameter, elongated to the southwest.

COMET C/2008 O1 (SOHO)
     Further to IAUC 8961, a Kreutz sungrazing comet has been found
on SOHO-LASCO coronagraph C3 website images by H. Su (discovery
observation tabulated below); according to K. Battams, the object
is very small and essentially stellar in appearance with a hint of
elongation (mag about 7.5 on July 31.738 UT).

THE EDGAR WILSON AWARD 2008
     The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory announces that the
2008 Edgar Wilson Award for the discovery of comets (cf. IAUC 6936,
8854) is being divided among the following two individuals for the
discovery of C/2008 C1:  Tao Chen (Suzhou City, Jiangsu province,
China) and Xing Gao (Urumqi, Xinjiang province, China).

COMET C/2008 O3 (BOATTINI)
     A. Boattini, University of Arizona, reports his discovery of a
comet on CCD images taken with the Mt. Lemmon 1.5-m reflector
(discovery observation tabulated below); four co-added 24-s
exposures show moderate condensation, a coma diameter of 5"-6", and
a faint tail about 30" long in p.a. 250-255 deg.  Following posting
on the Minor Planet Center's 'NEOCP' webpage, S. Foglia and L.
Buzzi report that CCD images taken by R. Holmes with a 0.61-m
telescope at Charleston, IL, U.S.A., on Aug. 1.4 UT show a diffuse
coma of diameter 7", elongated in p.a. 235 deg.

COMETS C/2008 J7-J12 (SOHO)
     Further to IAUC 8962, additional apparent comets have been
found on SOHO website images, all Kreutz sungrazers except for
C/2008 J10 and C/2008 J12 (Meyer group); finder code GP = G. Pappa.
C/2008 J7 was very small and slightly diffuse (mag 7.5-8).  C/2008
J8 was very diffuse and very faint (mag about 8).  C/2008 J9 was
small and condensed (mag 7-7.5).  C/2008 J10 was small and
essentially stellar in appearance (mag about 7.5).  C/2008 J11 was
very small and slightly diffuse (mag about 8).  C/2008 J12 was
stellar in appearance; in C2 images it was of mag about 6.5, while
in C3 it appeared very small and faint.

COMET C/2008 O2 (McNAUGHT)
     R. H. McNaught reports his discovery of a comet on CCD images
obtained with the 0.5-m Uppsala Schmidt telescope at Siding Spring
(discovery observation tabulated below), the comet showing a very
condensed 10" coma and a tail 1'.0 long in p.a. 240 deg.  Following
posting on the 'NEOCP' webpage, A. Boattini reports that CCD images
taken with the Mt. Lemmon 1.5-m reflector on July 29.4 UT show a
10"-12" coma and a tail almost 2' long in p.a. 245 deg.  Co-added
60-s CCD images taken on July 29.1 by G. Muler (Lanzarate, Spain,
0.30-m reflector) and measured by G. Sostero show a sharp coma
about 12" in diameter and a tail nearly 30" long toward p.a. 255
deg.  Stacked 60-s CCD images taken on July 29.2 by R. Holmes
(Charleston, IL, U.S.A., 0.81-m reflector; measured by L. Buzzi, S.
Foglia, and himself) show a narrow tail 20" long in p.a. 245 deg;
additional stacked images from Aug. 1.2 show a 30" tail in p.a. 190
deg.  J. C. Pelle reports that CCD images obtained by N. Teamo
(Punaauia, French Polynesia, 0.35-m telescope) on July 30.35-30.37
show a coma with diameter about 23" and a tail > 3' long in p.a.
240 deg.  P. Birtwhistle (Great Shefford, Berkshire, England,
0.40-m reflector) writes that images taken on July 29.97 in poor
conditions show a coma diameter of 6" and a tail 15" long in p.a.
250 deg, while in better conditions on July 30.97, the comet showed
an obvious, poorly-condensed coma of diameter 9" and a 35" tail in
p.a. 240 deg.  L. Buzzi (Varese, Italy, 0.60-m f/4.6 reflector)
reports a 10" coma and a 10"-15" tail in p.a. 230 deg on stacked
images obtained on July 31.9.  J. M. Aymami (Tiana, Spain, 0.25-m
f/4.3 Schmidt-Cassegrain reflector) notes that his stacked CCD
images from July 31.9 show a tail approximately 10" long in p.a.
220 deg.

The available astrometry, the following preliminary parabolic
orbital elements, and an ephemeris appear on MPEC 2008-P04.  This
comet is likely of short orbital period, but the orbit is still
very indeterminate; additional astrometry is urgently needed.

PERSEID METEORS 2008
     P. Jenniskens, SETI Institute, reports that the earth will cross the 1479
dust trail of comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle on Aug. 12d05h30m UT.  The trail is
distorted and dilluted, making it difficult to predict the expected peak
rate of Perseid meteors.  E. Lyytinen (Helsinki, Finland) has predicted a
peak rate of ZHR = 200 meteors/hr, after taking into account a scaling
factor based on the 2004 encounter with the 1862 dust trail (Jenniskens
2006, Meteor Showers and Their Parent Comets, Cambridge University Press,
p. 657).  In contrast, J. Vaubaillon (California Institute of Technology)
predicts no more than a weak enhancement between 04h00m and 06h30m UT,
and this may not stand out well from the normal annual Perseid shower
activity.  M. Maslov (Novosibirsk, Russia) confirms the encounter with the
1479 dust trail, calculating that ejection speeds of 4.8 m/s are sufficient
to move the dust into the earth's path.  He also expects an increase of no
more than ZHR = 2 meteors/hr, adding that this value may be underestimated.
In addition, Maslov has pointed out that Jupiter's perturbations will also
shift the annual Perseids closer to the earth's orbit, suggesting a slight
increase of rates up to ZHR = 110-120 meteors/hr.  Finally, a significant
enhancement of Peseid rates may occur from a 1-hour-wide 'filament'
component, predicted to peak around Aug. 12d01h UT (Jenniskens 2006, op.
cit., p. 661).  This peak time is uncertain by several hours.

COMET C/2008 P1 (GARRADD)
     G. J. Garradd reports his discovery of a comet on CCD images
obtained in poor seeing with the 0.5-m Uppsala Schmidt telescope
(discovery observation tabulated below), the object described as
being about 10" in size with a faint, broad feature extending about
15" to the west.  Following posting on the 'NEOCP' webpage, C.
Jacques and E. Pimentel (Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil,
0.30-m reflector) report that thirty stacked 60-s CCD exposures
show a condensed coma of diameter 20" on Aug. 14.2 UT.

COMET P/2008 O2 (McNAUGHT)
     Additional astrometry have permitted orbital calculations to
show that this comet (cf. IAUC 8963) is of short period, the
elements below taken from MPEC 2008-P54.

COMET P/2008 O3 (BOATTINI)
     Additional astrometry have permitted orbital calculations to
show that this comet (cf. IAUC 8964) is of short period, the
elements below taken from MPEC 2008-P65.

COMET C/2008 Q1 (MATICIC)
     A moving object of stellar appearance discovered by Stanislav
Maticic on four 40-s R-band CCD images taken with the 60-cm f/3.3
Cichocki robotic telescope in strong moonlight in the course of
the Comet and Asteroid Search Program at Crni Vrh Observatory
(discovery observation tabulated below) has been found by other
observers to show cometary appearance.  H. Mikuz adds that a
series of 1-min unfiltered exposures obtained with the same
telescope around Aug. 19.816 UT under darker sky conditions show
that the object has a somewhat-diffuse appearance (coma diameter
about 10") with strong condensation.  Following posting on the
Minor Planet Center's 'NEOCP' webpage, other CCD observers have
also noted the object's cometary appearance.  R. Ligustri
(Talmassons, Udine, Italy, 0.35-m f/5 reflector, Aug. 19.9)
reports that twenty 120-s co-added images show a short tail
elongation about 18" long.  R. Holmes and H. Devore (Charleston,
IL, U.S.A., 0.81-m f/4.0 astrograph, Aug. 20.07-20.08) report that
the object appears diffuse with a wide tail extending 37".3 in p.a.
87.9 deg.  K. Sarneczky (0.60-m Schmidt telescope at Konkoly
Observatory, Aug. 20.8, 360-s co-added image) writes that the comet
shows a 8" coma and a tail 10" long in p.a. 120 deg.  J. M. Aymami
(Tiana, Spain, 0.25-m f/4.3 Schmidt-Cassegrain reflector, Aug.
20.8) notes that co-added images show a distinctly nebulous object
with slight oval shape (about 9" long along its major axis).  V.
Gonano, E. Guido, and G. Sostero (Remanzacco, Italy, 0.45-m f/4.4
reflector, Aug. 20.8) write that sixteen 60-s co-added unfiltered
exposures show a coma diameter of about 10" and a broad tail 15"
long toward p.a. 122 deg.  S. Foglia (Novara Veveri, Italy, 0.40-m
f/4 reflector, Aug. 20.8) reports that images obtained by P.
Concari, D. Crespi, G. Galli, O. Lesca, S. Minuto, and himself show
the comet to be diffuse with a 10" coma.

PERSEID METEORS 2008
     P. Jenniskens and C. I. Webb, SETI Institute; C. Kitting, California
State University, East Bay; and C. L. Peterson, Cloudbait Observatory,
Guffey, CO, U.S.A., report from video observations that no significant
enhanced activity (ZHR > 20 meteors/hr) was detected at the time of the
anticipated 1479-dust-trail crossing in the period 04h00m-06h30m UT on
Aug. 12 (cf. CBET 1464).  The International Meteor Organization (IMO) has
reported normal peak Perseid rates of ZHR = 80 meteors/hr (predicted ZHR
= 110-120 meteors/hr).  Instead, K. Miskotte, Dutch Meteor Society, first
reported an unexpected outburst of Perseids between 0h and 3h UT on Aug. 13.
From a summary of visual observations gathered by the IMO, Geert Barentsen
(European Space Agency/ESTEC) finds a peak at Aug. 13d01h53m +/- 15m UT
(solar longitude = 140.58 +/- 0.01 deg), a peak rate of ZHR = 75 +/- 10
meteors/hr, and a FWHM = 1.9 +/- 0.2 hr, on top of the annual Perseid
activity.  J. Vaubaillon (California Institute of Technology) has identified
this outburst tentatively with the old 441-A.D. dust trail of comet
109P/Swift-Tuttle, which was calculated to fall just outside of the earth's
orbit with a closest encounter on Aug. 12d23h34m UT.

COMET P/2008 Q2 (ORY)
     An apparently asteroidal object discovered by Michel Ory
(Delemont, Switzerland, on CCD images obtained with a 0.61-m f/3.9
reflector at Vicques; discovery observation tabulated below), which
was posted on the Minor Planet Center's 'NEOCP' webpage, has been
found by other CCD observers to be cometary.  A. Knoefel
(Schoenbrunn, Germany, 0.5-m reflector, Aug. 28.0 UT) reports an
apparent faint coma.  L. Buzzi (Varese, Italy, 0.60-m reflector,
Aug. 28.1) notes a 12" coma elongated to the southwest, adding that
his inspection of stacked astrographic images taken by R. Holmes
(Charleston, IL, U.S.A., Aug. 28.28) reveals a coma about 20" wide
that is elongated in p.a. 240 deg.  A. C. Gilmore and P. M.
Kilmartin remark that two stacked 120-s CCD frames taken with the
1.0-m f/7.7 reflector at Mt. John on Aug. 28.6 show a condensed,
circular coma of diameter 14" with no tail.

COMET C/2008 Q3 (GARRADD)
     G. J. Garradd reports his discovery of a comet on CCD images
obtained with the 0.5-m Uppsala Schmidt telescope, the object
showing a 10" coma (more prominent toward the north); despite poor
seeing, the comet looks more diffuse than nearby stars.  Following
posting on the Minor Planet Center's 'NEOCP', A. C. Gilmore and P.
M. Kilmartin write that two stacked 120-s frames taken with the Mt.
John 1.0-m reflector on Aug. 28.5 UT show a centrally condensed
coma of diameter 6" with no tail.

SUPERNOVA 2008fe IN UGC 9578
     Stanislav Korotkiy, Moscow; and T. Kryachko and B. Satovskiy, Kazan
State University (KSU), report the discovery of an apparent supernova (mag
approximately 19.2) on the five unfiltered 300-s images (limiting mag
21.0) taken on Aug. 30.72 UT with a Takahashi FRC-300 30-cm f/7.8
telescope (+ Apogee Alta U9000 CCD camera) at KSU's Astrotel Observatory
(Karachay-Cherkessia, Russia).  The new object is located at R.A. =
14h53m48s.26 +/- 0".1, Decl. = +20o06'45".5 +/- 0".1 (equinox 2000.0),
which is about 23".1 east and 12".1 south of the center of the galaxy
UGC 9578 (PGC 53239).  Nothing is visible at this position on a Palomar
Sky Survey image obtained on 1993 May 19 (via the Digitized Sky Survey;
limiting blue mag 21.5).  After learning of Korotkiy's report, F. Kugel
(Dauban, Banon, France) writes that C. Rinner and he obtained an unfiltered
image (six stacked 120-s exposures) of comet C/2005 L3 on Aug. 27.87 with a
50-cm f/3 telescope that shows a new (apparently stellar) object of mag
18.4 located at R.A. = 14h53m48s.23, Decl. = +20o06'46".9 (equinox 2000.0),
or about 25" east and 10" south of the center of the galaxy UGC 9578,
again confirming the absence of such an object on the Palomar Sky Survey
to a limiting blue magnitude of 21.5.
     The discovery image by Korotkiy et al. is posted at the following
URL:  http://www.astroalert.su/files/discovery-sn-summ5x300sec.jpg, with
the 1993 DSS image at http://www.astroalert.su/files/dss-19930519-062800.jpg.

COMET P/2008 Q4 (LONEOS)
     M. Jaeger, Stixendorf, Austria, reports his recovery of comet P/2001 R1
(LONEOS) on four CCD images obtained with a 0.20-m f/2.8 reflector.  There was
a small coma (< 20") and a tail extending 3' in p.a. 275 deg.  One of the
images was measured by W. Vollmann, with the following result:

COMET C/2008 R1 (GARRADD)
     G. J. Garradd reports the discovery of a comet with a 15" coma
(more prominent on the northern side) on CCD images taken with the
0.5-m Uppsala Schmidt telescope at Siding Spring (discovery
observation tabulated below).  Following posting on the Minor
Planet Center's 'NEOCP' webpage, G. Sostero, Remanzacco, Italy,
reports that P. Camilleri, E. Guido, and he co-added 24 unfiltered
120-s CCD exposures, obtained remotely with a 0.35-m f/6.7
reflector of Grove Creek-Skylive Observatory at Trunkey, NSW,
Australia, on Sept. 2.71-2.79 UT, showing a coma about 8" in
diameter, elongated toward p.a. about 30 deg.  C. Jacques and E.
Pimentel, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, obtained CCD
images on Sept. 4.1 with a 0.30-m f/3.0 reflector that show a coma
diameter of 25".

COMET P/2008 Q4 (LONEOS)
     M. Jaeger, Stixendorf, Austria, reports his recovery of comet
P/2001 R1 (cf. IAUC 7713) with a small coma (< 20") and a 3' tail
in p.a. 275 deg on CCD images taken with a 0.20-m reflector;
astrometry by W. Vollmann:

COMET P/2008 R2 (SCOTTI)
     J. V. Scotti, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, reports his
recovery of comet P/2001 X2 (cf. IAUCs 7775, 7777) on Spacewatch
CCD images obtained with the 1.8-m f/2.7 reflector at Kitt Peak,
the object showing a coma diameter of 5" and a tail extending 0'.5
in p.a. 272 deg.  The indicated correction to the prediction on
MPC 56802 is Delta(T) = -0.15 day.

COMET C/2008 R3 (LINEAR)
     An apparently asteroidal object discovered by the LINEAR
survey (and posted on the Minor Planet Center's 'NEOCP' webpage)
has been found to show cometary appearance by other astrometric CCD
observers.  E. Pettarin (Farra d'Isonzo, Italy, 0.40-m f/4.5
reflector, Sept. 7.9 UT) writes that, in a star-rich field, the
comet shows a 20" tail in p.a. 130 deg.  R. Holmes (Charleston, IL,
U.S.A., 0.81-m f/4 astrograph, Sept. 8.1) notes a diffuse,
elongated shape with coma diameter 13".3.  G. Hug (Scranton, KS,
U.S.A., 0.56-m reflector, Sept. 8.14-8.15) finds a short, diffuse
extension in p.a. about 130 deg.  J. Young (Table Mountain 0.61-m
f/16 Cassegrain reflector, Sept. 8.3) reports an 8" round, bright
coma of mag 17.5 and a poorly defined broad tail of length 16" in
p.a. 125-145 deg.  P. Camilleri, G. Sostero, and E. Guido (remotely
using a 0.30-m f/5.8 reflector at Trunkey, N.S.W., Australia, Sept.
8.44-8.48) find that nine co-added 120-s unfiltered exposures
reveal a coma that is about 12" in diameter.

COMET P/2008 R4 (KORLEVIC)
     G. V. Williams, Minor Planet Center, has identified recovery
observations of comet P/1999 WJ_7 (cf. IAUC 7368) on Sept. 3 in
incidental astrometry obtained with the Spacewatch 0.9-m telescope
by T. H. Bressi.  A request by B. G. Marsden to J. V. Scotti for
confirming observations yielded images with the same telescope on
Sept. 9.4, in which Scotti notes that the comet is slightly diffuse
with a 0'.14 tail in p.a. 201 deg.  The indicated correction to the
prediction on MPC 59598 is Delta(T) = -0.3 day.

COMET P/2008 R5 (LINEAR-NEAT)
     Williams has also identified recovery observations of comet
P/2001 TU_80 (cf. IAUC 7753) on Sept. 8 in incidental astrometry
obtained with the Spacewatch 1.8-m telescope by Scotti.  Again, a
request to Scotti for confirmation yielded images with the 0.9-m
reflector on Sept. 9.4 that show a coma diameter of 6" and a faint
tail extending 0'.16 in p.a. 225 deg.  The indicated correction to
the prediction on MPC 54171 is Delta(T) = -0.3 day.

COMET P/2008 R6 (GIACOBINI)
     S. Nakano, Sumoto, Japan, reports the discovery of a comet by
Koichi Itagaki (Teppo-cho, Yamagata) and Hiroshi Kaneda (Minami-ku,
Sapporo) on unfiltered CCD patrol frames taken on Sept. 10.56 UT
using a 0.21-m f/3 reflector; the position tabulated below was
measured from a confirming unfiltered CCD image taken subsequently
with a 0.60-m f/5.7 reflector at Yamagata, noting that the comet is
diffuse with strong condensation, with a coma diameter of about 25"
and a 2' tail toward the east-southeast.

Following posting on the Minor Planet Center's 'NEOCP' webpage,
numerous other CCD astrometrists have noted the cometary
appearance of this object (some of the reports being sent by Nakano),
with the coma diameter generally given as 20"-50" and the tail
length given as 20"-66" in p.a. about 106-124 deg (such reports
have been received from Y. Ikari, Moriyama, Shiga-ken, Japan; K.
Kadota, Ageo, Saitama-ken, Japan; V. Gonano and E. Guido,
Remanzacco, Italy; R. Ligustri, Talmassons, Udine, Italy; J. J.
Gomez, Gandia, Spain; J. A. Henriquez, Tenerife, Spain; P.
Camilleri and G. Sostero, remotely using a 0.30-m reflector at
Catania, Italy; and F. Castellani, Monte Baldo, Italy).
     M. Meyer, Limburg, Germany, suggests that this comet is
identical to comet D/1896 R2 (Giacobini), which has not been seen
since Jan. 1897 and for which a prediction by Nakano (2005, Nakano
Note 1211, based on an orbit by Belyaev et al. 1974, QJRAS 15, 450)
gives T = 2008 Sept. 9.89 TT.  The identity has been confirmed by
Nakano, who notes that the comet has made 17 revolutions and passed
only 0.51 AU from the earth on 1962 Sept. 9 and 0.81 AU from
Jupiter on 1992 Jan. 14.  The following linked orbital elements by
B. G. Marsden are from 93 observations, 1896-2008 (including newly
reduced astrometry by G. V. Williams from 1896-1897); these
elements, together with the 1896 elements and an ephemeris, appear
on MPEC 2008-R60.

COMETS 201P, 202P, 203P, 204P, 205P
     The following permanent numbers have been assigned (cf. MPC
63768) to newly recovered comets:  201P/2008 Q4 (LONEOS; cf. IAUC
8970); 202P/2008 R2 (Scotti; cf. IAUC 8971); 203P/2008 R4
(Korlevic; cf. IAUC 8974); 204P/2008 R5 (LINEAR-NEAT; cf. IAUC
8974); 205P/2008 R6 (Giacobini; cf. IAUC 8975).

COMET C/2008 S1 (McNAUGHT)
     R. H. McNaught reports his discovery of a comet (discovery
position tabulated below) with a 15" circular coma and possible
extension in p.a. about 30 deg on CCD images obtained with the 0.5-
m Uppsala Schmidt telescope; additional stacked images from Sept.
18.38 UT show a 30" coma extended to the north and a condensation
with FHWM = 5".  Following posting on the 'NEOCP' webpage, other
CCD observers have also reported cometary appearance.  D. Mayes and
J. Young (Table Mountain 0.6-m reflector, Sept. 18.1; low altitude)
report a round coma with an 8"-diameter central condensation and a
possible thin tail approximately 20" long in p.a. 55-60 deg.  E.
Guido, G. Sostero, and P. Camilleri (0.25-m reflector at Moorook,
Australia, remotely, Sept. 18.5; 31 co-added exposures) find a coma
diameter of about 12".  A. Herring measures a 9".9 tail in p.a.
59.4 deg on exposures taken by R. Holmes (Charleston, IL, U.S.A.,
0.61-m astrograph, Sept. 18.05-18.06).

COMET P/2008 S1 = 2008 JK (CATALINA-McNAUGHT)
     B. G. Marsden has identified astrometry of the apparently
asteroidal object 2008 JK (MPS 249095; discovery by A. Boattini on
Catalina Sky Survey images, with the first observation tabulated
below), which had briefly been posted on the Minor Planet Center's
'NEOCP' webpage last May, as being identical with comet C/2008 S1
(cf. IAUC 8977).

COMET 205P/GIACOBINI
     D. T. Durig and K. N. Hatchett, Cordell-Lorenz Observatory,
Sewanee, TN, have reported observations of two additional
components of comet 205P.  The first of these, 4 mag fainter than
the primary body, was observed on Sept. 17.1, 19.1, and 22.1 UT
some 70" west and 5" south of the primary.  The second additional
component, 5 mag fainter than the primary body, was observed on
Sept. 19.1 and 22.1 UT some 660" west and 60" south of the primary.
Animations of the objects can be seen at
http://arthur.sewanee.edu/obsv/view.php.
Approximate ephemerides for the additional components can be
computed by applying corrections of Delta(T) = +0.014 and +0.133
day, respectively, to the orbital elements for comet 205P on MPC
63822 (or the 2008 set on MPEC 2008-R78, where the provisional
designation P/2008 R6 is used).

COMET 29P/SCHWASSMANN-WACHMANN
     J. A. Henriquez, Tenerife, Canary Islands, reports an outburst
of this comet from CCD images taken with a 0.2-m f/9 reflector;
available magnitudes:  Sept. 15.18 UT, 14.8; 21.2, 11.3 (stellar
appearance).

COMET P/2008 QP_20 (LINEAR-HILL)
     R. E. Hill reports his discovery of a comet on Catalina Sky
Survey unfiltered CCD images taken with the 0.68-m Schmidt
telescope, the object showing a well-condensed coma of diameter
6"-8" and a narrow 18" tail in p.a. 250 deg in four stacked 30-s
exposures in 3"-4" seeing (discovery observation tabulated below,
though with magnitude added from Sept. 23.279 UT image); his
stacked 60-s images from Sept. 24.3 show the comet to be well
condensed with an elongated nuclear condensation with coma size 12"
x 20" and a narrow 4' tail in p.a. 260 deg.  Following posting on
the Minor Planet Center's 'NEOCP' webpage, numerous other CCD
astrometrists have reported this object to show cometary appearance,
and at this point, K. Smalley (Minor Planet Center) identified
Hill's comet with an apparently asteroidal object discovered by
LINEAR and designated 2008 QP_20 on MPS 255263 (discovery
observation also tabulated below).  G. Muler (Lanzarate, Spain,
0.30-m Schmidt-Cassegrain reflector) writes that fifteen co-added
130-s exposures on Sept. 24.06 show a tail about 29" long in p.a.
245.2 deg.  J. E. McGaha (Tucson, AZ, U.S.A., 0.62-m f/5.1
reflector) reports that a 180-s exposure from Sept. 24.2 shows a
bright, round 7" coma with a narrow 44" tail in p.a. 243 deg.  H.
Devore measured a 52".5 tail in p.a. 241 deg from exposures taken
by R. Holmes (Charleston, IL, U.S.A., 0.61-m f/4.0 astrograph) on
Sept. 24.34-24.36.  E. Guido, Castellammare di Stabia, Italy, notes
that forty unfiltered co-added 60-s exposures taken remotely by G.
Sostero, P. Camilleri, and himself (0.25-m f/3.4 reflector located
near Mayhill, NM, U.S.A.) on Sept. 24.4 show a coma about 10" in
diameter and a narrow tail about 30" long in p.a. 233 deg.  D. T.
Durig (Sewanee, TN, U.S.A., 0.30-m f/2.5 Schmidt-Cassegrain
reflector, Sept. 24.4, twenty 120-s co-added exposures) reports a
tail about 65" long in p.a. 245 deg.  A. C. Gilmore and P. M.
Kilmartin (Mt. John 1.0-m f/7.7 reflector, Sept. 24.5, poor seeing)
write that the object shows a stellar head and a tail about 40"
long in p.a. 240 deg.

COMET P/2008 R1 (GARRADD)
     Improved, elliptical orbital elements for this comet (cf. IAUC
8969) from MPEC 2008-S46:

clearly confirms the correctness of the identification with the
object now designated comet 202P (IAUC 8971, 8976), this object
having T = 1930 Jan. 8.7 TT.  Indeed, Skiff remarks that the object
appears weakly cometary on both 1929 plates, the fuzziness
amounting to a 10" coma at best, with no indication of a tail.

COMETS C/2008 K3-K11 AND C/2008 L4 (SOHO)
     Further to IAUC 8981, additional near-sun presumed comets have
been found on SOHO website images -- all Kreutz sungrazers except
for C/2008 K7 (Meyer group), which was tiny, stellar in appearance,
and faint (mag about 7.5-8), and C/2008 K10, which was small and
stellar in appearance (mag 7-7.5, brightening as it left the C2
field-of-view but never appeared in C3).  C/2008 K10 has been
identified by R. Kracht with C/1999 X3 (cf. IAUC 8735; not reported
until 2006 and being near the limit of visibility in C2 images) and
C/2004 E2 (cf. IAUC 8365), an identification confirmed by B. G.
Marsden (with linked orbits and residuals published on MPC 2008-S49;
for epoch 2008 May 14.0 TT, T = 2008 May 31.334 TT, q = 0.04797 AU,
e = 0.98162, Peri. = 353.611 deg, Node = 323.655 deg, i = 6.259 deg,
equinox 2000.0); Marsden notes that close approaches occurred to
the earth on 2000 Jan. 13 (Delta = 0.058 AU) and Mars on 2004 May
19 (Delta_M = 0.032 AU).  K. Battams writes that C/2008 K3 was tiny,
extremely faint (mag about 8.5), and stellar in appearance.  C/2008
K4 was one of the brightest comets seen by SOHO (saturating
slightly in both LASCO cameras, with estimated peak magnitude about
1-2), appearing as a bright teardrop in C3 images and having a
partly-forked, "thick" tail about 0.5 long in C2 images; both
SECCHI COR cameras also imaged C/2008 K4, with the tail appearing
somewhat thinner in the COR2A images and showing the slight "fork"
in the COR2B images.  C/2008 K5 and C/2008 K7 were tiny and stellar
in appearance (mag about 7.5-8).  C/2008 K6 was tiny and stellar in
appearance (mag about 7) in C3 images, and elongated and very
diffuse in C2 images.  C/2008 K8 was very diffuse (mag about 8).
C/2008 K9 and C/2008 K11 were both small and very diffuse (mag
about 8-8.5, the former being perhaps slightly fainter than the
latter).  C/2008 L4 was small and slightly diffuse (mag about 7-7.5).

ORIONID METEORS 2008
     P. Jenniskens, SETI Institute, reports that last year's strong activity
of the Orionid meteor shower on Oct. 20.4-24.2 UT (cf. CBET 1108) may
continue into 2008 and 2009, according to M. Sato and J.-I. Watanabe (PASJ
59, L21); they ascribed the 2007 activity to dust trails of comet 1P/Halley
that were formed by meteoroids ejected in the years -1265, -1197, and -910.
The orbital evolution is affected by the 1:6 mean-motion resonance with
Jupiter.  This so-called "filament" is expected to be in the earth's path
again around Oct. 18-24 in 2008 and again in 2009, giving rise to a higher-
than-normal Orionid-shower activity that is relatively rich in bright
meteors.  M. Sato (National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Tokyo)
predicts an encounter with the -1265 dust trail in the period 2h13m-8h08m
UT on 2008 Oct. 19, peaking earlier than in 2007.  The approach distance is
slightly larger than in 2007, which could result in lower peak rates.

COMETS C/2008 L5-L8 (SOHO)
     Further to IAUC 8982, additional near-sun presumed comets have
been found on SOHO website images:  C/2008 L5 and C/2008 L8 being
Kreutz sungrazers, and the other two belonging to the "Kracht II"
group -- and suggested by R. Kracht to be returning split components
of C/2002 R5 (cf. IAUC 7984), with corresponding two-apparition sets
of orbital elements by B. G. Marsden on MPEC 2008-O23.  K. Battams
writes that C/2008 L5 was small and slightly diffuse (mag about
7.5).  C/2008 L6 was stellar in appearance (mag about 6.5).  C/2008
L7 was tiny and stellar in appearance (mag about 8).  C/2008 L8 was
very diffuse (mag about 8.5).

     Z. Sekanina, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, reports that he made
an attempt to constrain the probable time of breakup of the SOHO
comet C/2002 R5 into its fragments, C/2008 L6 and C/2008 L7.  The
approach was based on fitting the geocentric positional offsets of
C/2008 L7 from C/2008 L6, derived from the June 10 astrometric
observations made with the C2 coronagraph (MPEC 2008-O23).  The
low-accuracy data and the short orbital arc available ruled out the
possibility of a more comprehensive modeling, and allowed him only
to conclude that the event occurred most probably between 2 and 10
weeks before the 2002 perihelion, when C/2002 R5 was 0.6 to 1.7 AU
from the sun.  When imaged in 2002, the comet must have been
already double, but the separation distance did not exceed 2" and
the duplicity could not be resolved by either coronagraph.  The rms
residual of these solutions was +/- 3".9, and for the seven used
offsets (of 11 measured) the residuals did not exceed 6".  Another
positive sign of these solutions was a low separation velocity,
reaching submeter-per-second values for the early breakup times and
never getting greater than about 2 m/s.  No outgassing-driven
differential nongravitational accelerations were found to have been
affecting the motions of the fragment comets between 2002 and 2008.
With B. G. Marsden's set of elements for C/2008 L6 (MPEC 2008-O23),
the following orbit is representative of C/2008 L7:  Epoch = 2008
June 23.0 TT, T = 2008 June 10.1704 TT, e = 0.985704, q = 0.045957
AU, Peri. = 58.9343 deg, Node = 359.7975 deg, i = 12.1505 deg
(equinox 2000.0), P = 5.76 years.

COMETS C/2008 L9-L15 AND C/2008 M1-M7 (SOHO)
     Further to IAUC 8983, additional near-sun presumed comets have
been found on SOHO website images -- all Kreutz sungrazers except
for C/2008 L11 and C/2008 L15 (members of the Meyer group).  K.
Battams writes that C/2008 L9 (which was also found by B. Zhou) was
small and stellar in appearance (mag about 7) in C3 images, and
quite diffuse with a short, diffuse tail in C2 images.  C/2008 L10
and C/2008 L15 were stellar in appearance (mag about 7-7.5).
C/2008 L11 was stellar in appearance, reaching mag about 5.5-6 in
C2 images.  C/2008 L12 was quite diffuse (mag about 7.5-8).  C/2008
L13, C/2008 M2, and C/2008 M5 were slightly diffuse (mag about 8).
C/2008 L14 was teardrop-shaped (mag about 3-4) in C3 images, and
showed a diffuse tail about 0.25 deg long in C2 images (the tail
also similarly visible in SECCHI COR2-A images, and as somewhat
fainter and shorter in COR2-B images).  C/2008 M1 was tiny and
stellar in appearance (mag about 8).  C/2008 M3 was slightly
diffuse (mag about 7.5-8).  C/2008 M4 was extremely faint (mag
about 8.5) and very diffuse.  C/2008 M6 was very small, faint (mag
about 8), and somewhat stellar in appearance.  C/2008 M7 (which
was also found by H. Su) was very diffuse (mag about 8).

COMETS C/2008 N2-N11, C/2008 O1, AND C/2008 O4 (SOHO)
     Further to IAUC 8984, additional near-sun presumed comets have
been found on SOHO website images -- all Kreutz sungrazers except
for C/2008 N4 (a Kracht-group member that was suggested by R.
Kracht as being identical with C/2002 S7; cf. IAUC 7986, plus the
discussion and analysis on MPEC 2008-P60) and C/2008 N10 (no known
group).  C/2008 N2 was very bright (mag about 4.5) and elongated in
C3 images, and showed a diffuse tail about 0.5 deg long in C2
images (where it appeared headless inside about 6 solar radii
(apparent); SECCHI COR2-A images on July 3-4 showed a thin tail
much like that seen in C2 images, and a tail also was seen to form
in the last images obtained with the COR2-B camera on July 4.
C/2008 N3 was small and slightly diffuse (mag about 7.5).  C/2008
N4, C/2008 N10, and C/2008 N11 were small and stellar in
appearance (mag about 7.5).  C/2008 N5 was quite faint (mag about
7.5) and stellar in appearance in C3 images, while it was slightly
diffuse with no tail in C2 images.  C/2008 N6 was small and stellar
in appearance (mag about 7.5) in C3 images, but slightly diffuse in
C2 images.  C/2008 N7 was small and slightly diffuse (mag about 8).
C/2008 N8 was quite bright (mag about 6) and slightly elongated in
C3 images; it was teardrop-shaped and slightly diffuse in C2 images.
C/2008 N9 was small and stellar in appearance (mag about 7) in C3
images, but diffuse and slightly elongated in C2 images.  C/2008 O4
was stellar in appearance, peaking at mag about 5.5 around Sept.
6.83 UT.
     Additional astrometry of C/2008 O1 (cf. IAUC 8962) was
published on MPEC 2008-P33, with the note by K. Battams that it
appeared very small and stellar in appearance, peaking at mag about
6.

COMET C/2008 S2 = C/2001 D1 = C/2004 X7 (SOHO)
     Further to IAUC 8985, an additional near-sun presumed comet
has been found by R. Kracht on SOHO website images (discovery
observation tabulated below).  C/2008 S2 has been identified by
Kracht as apparently identical with C/2001 D1 (cf. IAUC 7936) and
C/2004 X7 (cf. IAUC 8466), a linkage that has been verified by B. G.
Marsden (see MPEC 2008-S81 and 2008-S82).  K. Battams writes that
C/2008 S2 was tiny and stellar in appearance (mag 7.5-8.0) and
appeared even fainter on the far side of the sun.  In remeasuring
the positions of C/2001 D1, Battams notes that it was then very
faint and tiny (mag about 8), and was slightly brighter when
visible on the far side of the sun.

COMET C/2008 S3 (BOATTINI)
     A. Boattini reports his discovery of a comet on CCD images
obtained with the 1.5-m reflector at Mt. Lemmon (discovery
observation tabulated below), the comet having strong condensation
with a coma about 10" wide but elongated about 15" at p.a.
approximately 115 deg.  Following posting on the Minor Planet
Center's 'NEOCP' webpage, D. T. Durig (Sewanee, TN, U.S.A., 0.30-m
f/2.5 Schmidt-Cassegrain reflector, Sept. 30.4 UT) reports a tail
about 10" long in p.a. 90 deg.  E. Guido (Castellammare di Stabia,
Italy) writes that G. Sostero, P. Camilleri, and he co-added fifty
60-s unfiltered exposures that were obtained remotely with a 0.25-m
f/3.4 reflector near Mayhill, NM, U.S.A., on Sept. 30.4, showing a
coma of diameter about 8" with a central condensation and slight
elongated toward the northwest.  J. Young (Table Mountain 0.61-m
f/16 Cassegrain reflector, Sept. 30.5) finds a bright, diffuse coma
of diameter 6" with a very short tail about 16" long in p.a. 140-
160 deg, curving to the east.

COMETS C/2008 O4, C/2008 O5, AND C/2008 O6 (SOHO)
     Further to IAUC 8986, additional near-sun presumed comets have
been found on SOHO website images; C/2008 O5 is a Kreutz sungrazer,
and C/2008 O6 belongs to no known group.  C/2008 O5 was stellar in
appearance in C3 images (mag about 6.5-7.0), and small and slightly
diffuse in C2 images.  C/2008 O6 was stellar in appearance and
quite bright (mag about 6.5).  Contrary to the inference on IAUC
8985, C/2008 O4 also belongs to no known group, and the last
sentence of the first paragraph (regarding C/2008 O4) should be
replaced with the following:  C/2008 O4 was small and condensed,
being brightest at the edge of the C2 field-of-view (mag perhaps
7.5) and becoming fainter as it approached the occulter.

COMET 205P/GIACOBINI
     Z. Sekanina, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, reports that both
companion nuclei (IAUC 8978) are fragments of long lifetimes.
While their brightness may fluctuate and will generally decrease
with time on account of increasing heliocentric and geocentric
distances, they are not expected to disintegrate soon.  Nucleus 'B',
the one closer to the principal nucleus 'A', is found to have
separated from it in the second half of 2006, about 700 days before
perihelion, when the comet was 4.8 AU from the sun, while the more
distant companion 'C' appears to have detached from 'A' at the very
end of 1998, at 5.5 AU from the sun and slightly more than 3 years
before the previous perihelion, which occurred on 2002 Jan. 21.0.
The nongravitational decelerations relative to 'A' are derived to
be 3.1 +/- 1.0 and 4.3 +/- 0.1 x 10**(-5) units of solar
gravitational acceleration for 'B' and 'C', respectively, and their
separation velocities are calculated to have been 0.11 +/- 0.05 and
0.7 +/- 0.4 m/s.  The comet has a history of splitting long before
perihelion (Sekanina 1979, Icarus 38, 306).  The predicted
separation distance and position angle for 'B' relative to 'A' are
as follows (2008, 0h TT):  Oct. 1, 68", 265 deg; 21, 62", 269 deg;
Nov. 10, 54", 270 deg; 30, 48", 269 deg; Dec. 20, 42", 268 deg.
The predicted separation distance and position angle for 'C'
relative to 'A' are:  Oct. 1, 619", 266.2 deg; 11, 568", 267.5 deg;
21, 518", 268.3 deg; 31, 470", 268.6 deg; Nov. 10, 425", 268.6 deg;
20, 384", 268.3 deg; 30, 347", 268.0 deg; Dec. 10, 314", 267.6 deg;
20, 284", 267.4 deg.

COMET P/2008 T1 (BOATTINI)
     A. Boattini reports his discovery of another comet on CCD
images taken with the Mt. Lemmon 1.5-m reflector (discovery
observation tabulated below), the fairly condensed coma being about
10" in diameter, with a fan tail about 60" long spanning p.a. 245-
275 deg (with the brightest tail structure in p.a. 250 deg).  Four
stacked 60-s follow-up unfiltered images with the same telescope by
R. E. Hill on Oct. 2.4 UT show a coma diameter of 10"-12" and a
broad, diffuse tail of length 40"-50" in p.a. about 300 deg.
Following posting on the 'NEOCP' webpage, P. Birtwhistle (Great
Shefford, Berkshire, England, 0.40-m reflector, Oct. 2.1) finds a
diffuse coma of diameter 10", extending 15" in p.a. 248 deg (with a
possible straight tail extending for 150" at the same p.a.).  R.
Ligustri (Talmassons, Udine, Italy, 0.25-m reflector, Oct. 2.2)
reports that seven 300-s co-added exposures show a coma diameter of
about 15".  J. E. McGaha (Tucson, AZ, U.S.A., 0.62-m reflector,
Oct. 2.2) writes that a 240-s exposure shows a bright nuclear
condensation of diameter 5" with a faint coma of diameter 12" and a
faint tail 150" long in p.a. 256 deg.  Images taken by R. Holmes
(Charleston, IL, U.S.A., 0.61-m astrograph, Oct. 2.3) and measured
by H. Devore show a wide tail 2'01" long in p.a. 251.6 deg.  J.
Young (Table Mountain 0.61-m reflector) finds a very small bright
coma of diameter 6" with a hint of a broad, weak, fan-shaped tail
about 16" long spanning 225-310 deg.  E. Guido, Castellammare di
Stabia, Italy, writes that eighty stacked 60-s unfiltered CCD
exposures taken remotely by G. Sostero, P. Camilleri, and himself
with a 0.25-m reflector near Mayhill, NM, U.S.A., on Oct. 2.4 show
a coma about 10" in diameter and a broad, fan-shaped tail about 40"
toward p.a. 244 deg.

The available astrometry (including prediscovery Spacewatch
astrometry from Sept. 2 and 21), the following elliptical orbital
elements by B. G. Marsden, and an ephemeris appear on MPEC 2008-T30.
Marsden notes that the comet made a close approach to Jupiter in
Apr. 2003 (minimum distance 0.03 AU).

COMET 29P/SCHWASSMANN-WACHMANN
     Y. R. Fernandez, University of Central Florida; B. E. A.
Mueller, Planetary Science Institute; and N. H. Samarasinha,
Planetary Science Institute and National Optical Astronomy
Observatories, report that they observed comet 29P with a CCD
camera on the Kitt Peak National Observatory 2.1-m telescope for
five consecutive nights on Sept. 25.5, 26.5, 27.5, 28.5, and 29.5
UT.  During this interval, R-band imaging of the comet's coma
showed manifestations of the outburst reported by Henriquez (IAUC
8978).  A shell of material is seen expanding outward at
approximately 0.1 km/s -- most prominent at p.a. about 60-290 deg.
There is also a second, expanding, partial shell of material,
closer to the nucleus and on the north side of the coma.  At least
three persistent radial jets can be discerned, at p.a. about 305,
355, and 40 deg.  A sample image is posted at website URL
http://www.physics.ucf.edu/~yfernandez/sw1.html.  Further
observations to watch the continuing development of 29P's intricate
coma morphology during the course of the current outburst are
requested.
     J. M. Trigo-Rodriguez, Institute of Space Sciences, Consejo
Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas and Institut Estudis
Espacials de Catalunya, reports that the present outburst
experienced by 29P is the brightest detected since Sept. 2004; for
more details see Trigo-Rodriguez et al. (2008, A.Ap. 485, 599),
where the outburst frequency of this comet was established to
average 7.3 outbursts/year, usually reaching a maximum magnitude of
13 or fainter.  A. Sanchez (Gualba, Spain, 36-cm f/6 Schmidt-
Cassegrain reflector) has obtained the following recent magnitudes
of 29P through a 10" aperture:  Sept. 13.158 UT, R = 14.1; 25.118,
R = 11.9; 29.155, V = 12.9, R = 12.4, I = 12.3; Oct. 1.154, V =
13.8, R = 13.4, I = 13.5.  On Sept. 29, an asymmetric 55"-wide
coma was visible, corresponding to a coma size of 255000 km; a
bright fan of material extended from the nuclear condensation in
p.a. 235 deg.
     Another bright outburst occurred last January (cf. IAUC 8910).
Additional total magnitude estimates, visual unless noted otherwise:
Jan. 27.89 UT, 11.6 (J. J. Gonzalez, Leon, Spain, 0.20-m reflector);
28.89, 11.2 (W. Hasubick, Buchloe, Germany, 44-cm reflector); Feb.
1.46, 11.2 (Y. Nagai, Gunma, Japan, 300-mm camera lens + CCD);
13.95, 11.6 (J. Qvam, Borrevannet, Horten, Norway, 0.10-m refractor
 + CCD + V filter); Mar. 1.92, 12.5 (Gonzalez); 26.87, 15.2 (Qvam,
0.46-m reflector + CCD + V filter); Sept. 23.08, 11.2 (V. Nevski,
Vitebsk, Belarus, 0.3-m reflector); 25.10, 10.9 (Gonzalez); 29.14,
10.7 (Gonzalez); Oct. 4.76, 10.4 (S. Yoshida, Gunma, Japan, 0.40-m
reflector).

COMET C/2008 T2 (CARDINAL)
     An apparently asteroidal object discovered by Rob D. Cardinal,
Rothney Astrophysical Observatory, with the University of Calgary
0.50-m f/1.0 reflector at Priddis (discovery observation tabulated
below), 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').

COMET P/2008 T3 (BOATTINI)
     A. Boattini reports his discovery of a comet in a dense part
of the Milky Way on CCD images obtained with the 0.68-m Schmidt
telescope in the course of the Catalina Sky Survey (discovery
observation tabulated below), with four co-added 30-s exposures
showing a strongly condensed 8"-10" coma and a faint, fan-shaped
tail extending for about 25"-30" and spanning p.a. 105-210 deg;
four co-added 30-s exposures by Boattini on Oct. 8.1 UT with the
Mt. Lemmon 1.5-m reflector show a coma diameter of 9"; the brighter
tail structure in p.a. 130 deg extends for about 25".

COMET P/2008 T4 (HILL)
     R. E. Hill reports his discovery of a comet on CCD images
taken with the 0.68-m Schmidt telescope in the course of the
Catalina Sky Survey (discovery observation tabulated below), a
stack of four 30-s exposures showing a diffuse coma 10" across and
a well-condensed nuclear condensation with a broad tail 20" long in
p.a. about 210 deg.  Images obtained by A. Boattini with the Mt.
Lemmon 1.5-m reflector on Oct. 8.44-8.45 UT show a well-condensed
coma with diameter 10" and a broad tail about 30" long in p.a. 245
deg.

COMET P/2008 T3 = 1892 T1 (BARNARD-BOATTINI)
     Following a suggestion by M. Meyer (Limburg, Germany) that
comet P/2008 T3 (cf. IAUC 8993) may be identical to the long-lost
comet D/1892 T1 = 1892e = 1892 V (Barnard), G. V. Williams
(Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory) has collected 41
astrometric observations from the literature in 1892 and re-reduced
them for analysis.  The resulting orbital calculations by Williams
and by S. Nakano (Sumoto, Japan) confirm the identity.  Nakano
notes that the comet made 20 revolutions between 1892 and 2008,
passing about 0.3-0.4 AU of Jupiter in 1922 Oct., 1934 Aug., and
2005 Aug.  The following orbital elements are by Williams, from 90
observations spanning 1892 Oct. 16-2008 Oct. 8 (22 of which are
from 1892; mean residual 1".4):

COMET C/2008 R3 (LINEAR)
     Elliptical orbital elements for this comet (cf. IAUC 8973)
from MPEC 2008-T97:

COMET P/2008 T4 (HILL)
     R. E. Hill reports his discovery of a comet on CCD images
taken with the 0.68-m Schmidt telescope in the course of the
Catalina Sky Survey (discovery observation tabulated below), a
stack of four 30-s exposures showing a diffuse coma 10" across and
a well-condensed nuclear condensation with a broad tail 20" long in
p.a. about 210 deg.  Images obtained by A. Boattini with the Mt.
Lemmon 1.5-m reflector on Oct. 8.44-8.45 UT show a well-condensed
coma with diameter 10" and a broad tail about 30" long in p.a. 245
deg.

COMET P/2008 T5 (NEAT)
     K. Kadota, Ageo, Saitama-ken, Japan, reports his recovery of
comet P/2001 J1 (cf. IAUCs 7623, 7625, 7635), showing a central
condensation, no tail, and coma diameter 0'.5-0'.6 on CCD images
obtained with a 0.25-m f/6 reflector.  Confirming observations were
also made by H. Abe (Yatsuka-cho, Shimane-ken, Japan, 0.26-m
reflector).

COMET P/2008 U1 (McMILLAN)
     Robert S. McMillan, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University
of Arizona, reports his discovery of a comet with a 15" tail
(spanning 20 deg) toward the west-southwest and a coma of diameter
about 5" on CCD images taken with the Spacewatch 1.8-m f/2.7
reflector at Kitt Peak (discovery observation tabulated below).
Four co-added 25-s unfiltered CCD images taken by A. R. Gibbs at
the Mt. Lemmon 1.5-m reflector on Oct. 20.4 UT show a condensed
coma of size 6" x 8", elongated in p.a. 250 deg, with an additional
"fuzziness" of diameter 10".

ORIONID METEORS 2008
     Further to CBET 1518, P. Jenniskens, SETI Institute, reports that
K. Miskotte (Dutch Meteor Society) noticed unusual Orionid activity on
Oct. 20, mostly bright meteors between +1 and -2 magnitude.  According to
the International Meteor Organization, the Orionid meteor-shower rate had
increased to a zenith hourly rate (ZHR) of 34 +/- 3 meteors/hr on Oct. 20
(solar longitude 207.0 deg, equinox 2000.0) and to ZHR = 33 +/- 7 meteors/hr
on Oct. 21 (solar long. 208.2 deg), significantly above the normal peak
rate of ZHR = 23 meteors/hr (Jenniskens 2006, *Meteor Showers and Their
Parent Comets*, Cambridge University Press, p. 729).  Hence, the peak of the
outburst is later than the predicted date of 2008 Oct. 19d02h-19d08h UTC,
when the earth was to cross the dust trail of comet 1P/Halley material
ejected in the year -1265 (cf. CBET 1518).  Rates are expected to stay
higher than normal for at least another day or two.  A live update is
provided by the International Meteor Organization at the following website
URL:  http://www.imo.net/live/orionids2008/.  Jenniskens also forwards the
following report:
     J. M. Trigo-Rodriguez, Institute of Space Sciences, Consejo Superior
de Investigaciones Cientificas and Institut Estudis Espacials de Catalunya;
J. M. Madiedo, University of Huelva; and P. Pujols, Agrupacio Astronomica
Osona, report that the encounter with the -1265 dust trail on Oct. 19
coincided with a moderate ZHR rate of 20 meteors/hr from an apparent
radiant R.A. = 95 deg, Decl. = +15 deg, and a low population index of 1.5
+/- 0.4 (N = 40).  On Oct. 20, the ZHR was at the same level, but bright
bolides were detected between 2h and 5h UT, with a magnificent bolide of
magnitude -13 at Oct. 20d03h45m UT.  High meteor rates and fireballs were
also recorded over Europe on Oct. 21 when most Orionid meteors radiated
from R.A. = 93 deg, Decl. = +17 deg, and the ZHR increased to 40 +/- 8
(solar longitude 208.03 deg) with a population index of 1.6 +/- 0.4 (N = 52).

COMET P/2008 Y2 (GIBBS)
     A. R. Gibbs reports his discovery of a comet with a narrow
16"-20" tail in p.a. 280-285 deg and a well-condensed coma of size
13".5 x 9" on co-added unfiltered CCD images obtained with the
Catalina Sky Survey (CSS) 0.68-m Schmidt telescope (discovery
observation tabulated below).  E. Beshore (Mt. Lemmon 1.5-m
reflector, 2009 Jan. 1.46-1.48 UT) adds that four co-added 30-s
exposures show a condensed nuclear condensation with a tail about
1' long in p.a. approximately 280 deg.  T. Spahr, Smithsonian
Astrophysical Observatory, identified this comet with pre-discovery
astrometry in the Minor Planet Center (MPC) archive from 2008 Dec.
1 (Mt. Lemmon) and 21 (CSS).  Following posting on the MPC's 'NEOCP'
webpage, several other CCD astrometrists have noted the object's
cometary appearance.  J. V. Scotti writes that Spacewatch images
taken with the 1.8-m f/2.7 reflector show a 9" coma and a 0'.48
tail in p.a. 284 deg on 2009 Jan. 1.34-1.35.  R. Ligustri (Udine,
Italy) co-added ten 180-s exposures taken remotely with a 0.25-m
f/3 reflector near Mayhill, NM, U.S.A., on Jan. 1.44-1.45 to see a
coma of diameter about 15"; twenty-four 120-s co-added images
obtained similarly by E. Guido, G. Sostero, and P. Camilleri on
Jan. 1.45-1.48 show a compact coma of diameter about 10" and a
narrow 10"-long tail in p.a. 270 deg.

COMET P/2008 X4 (CHRISTENSEN)
     K. Kadota, Ageo, Japan, has reported astrometry for this comet
(cf. IAUC 9005) from CCD images obtained with a 0.25-m f/5
reflector on 2008 Dec. 14.35 (at low altitude in very bright
twilight), 30.9, and 31.9 UT, for which he provided total
magnitudes 11, 10.6, and 10.5, respectively.  The astrometry for
Dec. 30 and 31, together with improved orbital elements by B. G.
Marsden and an ephemeris, appear on MPEC 2009-A1.

COMET C/2008 Y3 (McNAUGHT)
     R. H. McNaught reports his discovery of a comet on CCD images
obtained with the 0.5-m Uppsala Schmidt telescope at Siding Spring
(discovery observation tabulated below), describing the object as
being strongly condensed with a 12" coma and a broad 15" tail in
p.a. 300 deg; the magnitude was determined to be too bright by
perhaps a magnitude due to involvement with a nearby bright star
(when compared with images taken on 2009 Jan. 1.6 UT, when the
comet had similar appearance).  Following posting on the Minor
Planet Center's `NEOCP' webpage, several other CCD astrometrists
have noted the object's cometary appearance.  R. Ligustri (Udine,
Italy) writes that exposures taken remotely with a 0.25-m f/3
reflector near Mayhill, NM, U.S.A., on Jan. 1.4 show a 20" coma but
no nuclear condensation; twelve 120-s co-added images obtained
similarly by E. Guido, G. Sostero, and P. Camilleri on Jan. 1.3
show a compact coma of diameter about 15".  J. E. McGaha (Tucson,
AZ, U.S.A., 0.36-m f/10 reflector, Jan. 1.3) reports that ten
stacked 60-s exposures show a stellar nuclear condensation with a
10"-wide, 74"-long tail in p.a. 309 deg.

COMET P/2008 X1 = P/2003 F6 (HILL)
     Additional astrometry of comet P/2008 X1 (cf. IAUC 9001)
showed that this comet is of short period (MPECs 2008-Y19, 2008-Y57).
M. Meyer, Limburg, Germany, has identified images of this comet
with a coma diameter of 8" and a 12" tail in p.a. 240 deg on three
NEAT frames from 2003 Mar. 24, and four LONEOS exposures on 2003
Apr. 1; these data are given the designation P/2003 F6 (see CBET
1637).  Astrometry and revised orbital elements (T = 2002 Aug. 19.1;
for epoch 2009 May 9.0 TT, T = 2009 May 7.771 TT, q = 2.36217 AU, e
= 0.33760, Peri. = 4.393 deg, Node = 117.296 deg, i = 18.873 deg,
equinox 2000.0) appear on MPEC 2008-Y60.

COMETS C/2008 R8-R12 (SOHO)
     Further to IAUC 9006, additional near-sun presumed comets have
been found on SOHO website images -- all Kreutz sungrazers except
for C/2008 R8 (non-group).  C/2008 R8 (peak mag about 7), C/2008 R9
(mag about 7), and 2008 R11 (mag about 6.5) were small and stellar
in appearance.  C/2008 R10 was elongated (mag about 5.5) in C3
images, and quite diffuse with a very faint short tail in C2 images.
C/2008 R12 was slightly elongated (mag about 6-6.5) in C3 images,
and diffuse with a very faint, diffuse, short tail in C2 images.

COMET C/2009 B1 (BOATTINI)
     A. Boattini reports his discovery of a comet with a strong
condensation, a 10" coma, and a wide tail about 30" long in p.a. 60
deg on images taken with the Catalina Sky Survey's 0.68-m Schmidt
telescope (discovery observation tabulated below).  Following
posting on the Minor Planet Center's 'NEOCP' webpage, numerous
other CCD astrometrists have commented on the object's cometary
appearance.  W. H. Ryan (Magdalena Ridge Observatory, Socorro, NM,
U.S.A., 2.4-m f/8.9 reflector, Jan. 21.2 UT) reports a "fuzzy
appearance" with a faint tail in p.a. approximately 60 deg.  J.
Bedient (2.0-m "Faulkes Telescope North" at Haleakala, Jan. 21.3)
writes that a co-added 180-s R-band exposure shows a 6" coma and a
10"-long tail in p.a. 55 deg.  Five stacked 300-s exposures taken
by T. Kryachko and S. Korotkiy (Astrotel Observatory, Kazan State
University, 0.30-m Takahashi telescope, Jan. 21.7) show a faint 18"
tail in p.a. 60 deg and a coma diameter of about 9".  L. Buzzi
(Varese, Italy, 0.60-m reflector, Jan. 21.8) finds the comet to be
diffuse with an asymmetric coma about 10" wide with a central
condensation but no noticeable tail.  R. Holmes (Charleston, IL,
U.S.A., 0.81-m astrograph, Jan. 22.0) reports that a 15-min stack
of images reveals a nuclear condensation 9".0 wide and a broad,
diffuse, 21".8 tail in p.a. 78.9 deg.  D. T. Durig and M. F.
Mansfield (Sewanee, TN, U.S.A., 0.30-m reflector, Jan. 22.1) notes
that twenty stacked 120-s frames show a coma of diameter 8"-10"
with a hint of an 10" tail in p.a. 75-80 deg.  E. Guido,
Castellammare di Stabia, Italy, writes that eighteen co-added 120-s
unfiltered exposures that he took remotely with G. Sostero and P.
Camilleri using a 0.25-m reflector near Mayhill, NM, U.S.A., on
Jan. 22.1 show a coma diameter of about 11" and a tail about 15"
long in p.a. 70 deg.

The available astrometry, the following very preliminary parabolic
orbital elements, and an ephemeris appear on MPEC 2009-B46.  It is
possible that this comet is of short period.

COMETS C/2003 Q1, Q6; C/2008 R13, AND C/2008 S4-S8 (SOHO)
     Further to IAUC 9011, additional Kreutz sungrazing comets have
been found on SOHO website images.  C/2008 R13 (which was
inadvertently tabulated on IAUC 9011; peak magnitude about 7.5),
C/2008 S4 (peak mag about 6.5-7), and C/2008 S5 (peak mag about 7)
were small and stellar in appearance.  C/2008 S6 was tiny and
stellar in appearance (mag about 7.5) in C3 images, but quite
diffuse and very faint in C2 images.  C/2008 S7 was small and
stellar in appearance (mag about 6.5-7) in C3 images, but very
diffuse and slightly elongated in C2 images.  C/2008 S8 was stellar
in appearance (mag about 6.5-7) in C3 images, but diffuse with a
very faint, diffuse, short tail in C2 images.

     K. Battams adds that C/2003 Q1 and C/2003 Q6 (cf. IAUC 8339)
were both tiny and stellar in appearance (peaking at mag about 8-
8.5); improved astrometry for these presumed comets was published
on MPEC 2008-Y06.

COMET P/2008 WZ_96 (LINEAR)
     An apparently asteroidal object that was discovered by the
LINEAR survey in late November and again in late December (when the
Minor Planet Center linked the two sets of observations), and
designated 2008 WZ_96 (discovery observations tabulated below; cf.
MPS 267760, 270506), has been found to show cometary appearance by
CCD astrometrists elsewhere.  P. C. Sherrod (Conway, AR, U.S.A.,
0.51-m f/4.3 astrograph) reports that images taken on Jan. 20.05-
20.07 UT show a round, small, uniform nebulosity of total mag about
17.7 surrounding a slight central condensation of mag about 18.5;
he adds that images taken over the previous two weeks had also
shown suggestions of a diffuse nature.  J. Y. Young (Table Mountain
0.61-m f/16 Cassegrain reflector) writes that his images from Jan.
29.1 show a round coma of diameter 6" with only a moderate
condensation and no tail visible even in longer exposures.  J. E.
McGaha (Tucson, AZ, U.S.A., 0.36-m f/10 Schmidt-Cassegrain
reflector) notes that twelve stacked 60-s exposures from Jan. 30.1
show a round 12" coma with a stellar nucleus condensation and no
tail.

Additional astrometry, the following orbital elements by B. G.
Marsden, and an ephemeris appear on MPEC 2009-B73.  Marsden notes
that the comet passed 0.36 AU from Jupiter in Apr. 2006.

COMET P/2009 B1 (BOATTINI)
     Additional astrometry (including pre-discovery Catalina
observations from 2008 Nov. 18) of this comet (cf. IAUC 9013) and
the following revised orbital elements by B. G. Marsden were
published on MPEC 2009-B50:  Epoch = 2009 Feb. 18.0 TT, T = 2009
Feb. 6.2408 TT, e = 0.637146, q = 2.426329 AU, Peri. = 128.6057
deg, Node = 297.4434 deg, i = 22.2273 deg (equinox 2000.0), P =
17.29 years.

COMET C/2009 B2 (LINEAR)
     An apparently asteroidal object that was discovered by the
LINEAR survey (discovery observation tabulated below) has been
found to show cometary appearance by CCD astrometrists elsewhere,
following posting on the Minor Planet Center's 'NEOCP' webpage.  F.
Hormuth (Calar Alto 1.23-m reflector, Jan. 30.2 UT) writes that an
unfiltered, stacked, 600-s image shows a coma diameter of about 5"
and a short, faint tail of length about 10" in p.a. about 340 deg.
J. Young (Table Mountain 0.61-m f/16 Cassegrain reflector, Jan.
31.50-31.55) notes a coma of diameter 8" with a small bright area
slightly southeast of a broad and very short extension spanning p.a.
310-340 deg.  R. S. McMillan (0.9-m f/3 Spacewatch reflector, Jan.
31.5; apparent independent discovery) reports a short 8" tail
toward the north.

COMET P/2008 Y1 (BOATTINI)
     Additional astrometry has shown that this comet (cf. IAUC 9007)
is of short period, the following orbital elements taken from MPEC
2009-B62:

COMET P/2008 Y3 (McNAUGHT)
     Additional astrometry has shown that this comet (cf. IAUC 9009)
is of short period; the following orbital elements were published
on MPC 64767:  Epoch = 2009 Jan. 9.0 TT, T = 2009 Jan. 11.9366 TT,
e = 0.447539, q = 4.434228 AU, Peri. = 238.2745 deg, Node =
262.9356 deg, i = 38.8137 deg (equinox 2000.0), P = 22.74 years.

COMET P/2005 R2 = 2009 B3 (VAN NESS)
     G. Hug, Scranton, KS, reports his recovery of comet P/2005 R2 on images
obtained with the 0.56-m reflector at Sandlot Observatory:

COMET P/2009 B3 (VAN NESS)
     G. Hug, Scranton, KS, U.S.A., reports his recovery of comet
P/2005 R2 (cf. IAUC 8597) on images obtained with the 0.56-m
reflector at his Sandlot Observatory.  A very faint, straight,
narrow tail was observed extending at least 5'-6' in p.a. 300 deg.
The indicated correction to the prediction on MPC 62880 is Delta(T)
= -0.06 day.

COMET P/2009 B4 (LINEAR)
     Hug also reports his recovery of P/2002 CW_134 (cf. IAUC 7858)
in images taken at 25 deg altitude; the comet did not appear
different from stellar images in the same exposures.  The indicated
correction to prediction on MPC 56802 is Delta(T) = -0.32 day.

COMET P/2009 B5 (NEAT)
     G. Hug, Scranton, KS, U.S.A., reports his recovery of comet
P/2002 O8 (cf. IAUC 7949) on images obtained with the 0.56-m
reflector at his Sandlot Observatory.  The indicated correction to
the prediction on MPC 59599 is Delta(T) = -0.34 day.

COMETS C/2008 T6-T10 (SOHO)
     Further to IAUC 9014, additional near-sun presumed comets have
been found on SOHO website images; all were Kreutz sungrazers
except for C/2008 T6 (Meyer group) and C/2008 T7 (no known group).
Those objects visible in C3 images appeared stellar therein.
C/2008 T6 was small and faded quickly (peak mag about 7).  C/2008
T7 was tiny (mag about 7.5-8).  C/2008 T8 peaked at mag about 6.5-
7 in C3 images, but was quite diffuse with a short, diffuse tail in
C2 images.  C/2008 T9 and C/2008 T10 were of mag 7.5-8 in C3 images;
the former was diffuse and very faint in C2 images, while the
latter was very diffuse and slightly elongated in C2 images.

COMET C/2007 N3 (LULIN)
     M. D. Hicks and K. J. Lawrence, Jet Propulsion Laboratory; and
J. M. Somers, Moorpark College, report that Bessel-R observations
of C/2007 N3, obtained at the Palomar Hale 5-m telescope on Feb.
2.58 UT, yield magnitude R = 7.27 +/- 0.02 in a 4'-diameter
photometric aperture.  This corresponds to an Af(rho) value (cf.
IAUC 7342) of 16.6 +/- 0.9 m, which is approximately 0.1 that of
post-perihelion measurements of comet 1P/Halley obtained at a
similar heliocentric distance (Schleicher et al. 1998, Icarus 132,
397).  Long-slit CCD spectrograms of C/2007 N3 were also obtained,
and analysis is ongoing.
     Visual total-magnitude and coma-diameter estimates:  Jan. 4.25
UT, 7.1, 5' (J. J. Gonzalez, Leon, Spain, 10x50 binoculars); 24.21,
6.9, 6'.5 (W. Hasubick, Buchloe, Germany, 10x50 binoculars); Feb.
4.50, 6.3, 10' (C. S. Morris, Fillmore, CA, U.S.A., 10x50
binoculars); 7.86, 6.1, 11' (K. Yoshimoto, Yamaguchi, Japan, 7x35
binoculars).

COMET C/2007 N3 (LULIN)
     M. R. Combi, University of Michigan: J.-L. Bertaux and E.
Quemerais, Service d'Aeronomie, Centre National de la Recherche
Scientifique and Universite de Versailles Saint-Quentin en Yvelines;
and J. T. T. Maekinen, Finnish Meteorological Institute, note that
the Solar Wind Anisotropies (SWAN) camera on the Solar and
Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) spacecraft, located at the
earth-sun L_1 Lagrange point, makes daily full-sky images of
hydrogen Lyman_alpha.  SWAN detected comet C/2007 N3 from Jan. 20
to 30.  The following water-production rates (given in units of
10^(27) s**-1) were determined from the hydrogen Lyman_alpha
brightness and distribution:  Jan. 20.5 UT, 98; Jan. 21.5, 98; Jan.
22, 100; Jan. 23.5, 120; Jan. 24.5, 110; Jan. 25.5, 79; Jan. 26.5,
120; Jan. 27.5, 79; Jan. 28.5, 77; Jan. 29.5, 84; Jan. 30.5, 79.
Calibration, background subtraction, and model parameters
contribute to a realistic absolute uncertainty of about 30 percent
(there are uncertainties from the instrument noise and formal model
inversion).

COMET P/2009 D1 (LINEAR)
     J. V. Scotti, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of
Arizona, reports his recovery of comet P/2001 CV_8 (cf. IAUC 7581)
on CCD images taken with the Spacewatch 1.8-m f/2.7 reflector.  On
the Feb. 19 images, Scotti noted the comet to be slightly diffuse
with a 0'.3 tail in p.a. 295 deg.

COMETS C/2008 U5-U8 (SOHO)
     Further to IAUC 9020, additional near-sun presumed comets have
been found on SOHO website images -- all Kreutz sungrazers except
for C/2008 U6 (non-group), which was small and stellar in
appearance (mag about 7.5).  C/2008 U5 was extremely faint (mag
about 8.5) and very diffuse.  C/2008 U7 was stellar in appearance
and perhaps slightly elongated (mag about 7) in C3 images, but
quite diffuse with a thin, diffuse, faint tail in C2 images.
C/2008 U8 was very diffuse (mag about 8-8.5).

COMET 33P/DANIEL
     Sometime between Jan. 11 and 30, comet 33P appears to have
undergone an outburst of about 3 mag in total brightness (from mag
about 18 to about 15), according to CCD astrometric observations
contributed to the Minor Planet Center.  CCD observations by K.
Kadota (Ageo, Japan, 0.25-m f/5 reflector) and others indicate an
additional brightening of about 1 mag between Feb. 7 and 20.  A
standard power-law formula (cf. 2008/2009 Comet Handbook, p. 64)
predicts little change in the comet's brightness over this span (T
= 2008 July 20.3 TT).  Recent astrometry, revised orbital elements
by B. G. Marsden, and an updated ephemeris appear on MPEC 2009-D52.

COMETS C/2008 U6, C/2008 U9-U16, C/2008 V1-V3 (SOHO)
     A revised orbit on MPEC 2009-B70 shows C/2008 U6 (cf. IAUC
9021) to be a member of the Meyer group.  Additional near-sun
presumed comets have been found on SOHO website images, with their
"discovery" observations tabulated below -- all Kreutz sungrazers
except for C/2008 V2 (Meyer group).  C/2008 U9 was very diffuse
(mag about 8-8.5).  C/2008 U10 and C/2008 U15 were faint (mag about
8) and diffuse.  C/2008 U11 was slightly diffuse; it appeared small
(mag about 7) in C3 images, with a short, diffuse tail in C2 images.
C/2008 U12 and C/2008 V3 were very diffuse (mag about 8).  C/2008
U13 was stellar in appearance (mag about 7.5) in C3 images, and
quite condensed with no tail in C2 images.  C/2008 U14 was slightly
diffuse and elongated (mag about 8).  C/2008 U16 was small and
condensed (mag about 7.5-8).  C/2008 V1 was slightly diffuse; in C3
images, it was faint (mag about 7.5).  C/2008 V2 was stellar in
appearance (mag about 7).

COMET C/2007 N3 (LULIN)
     D. E. Harker, University of California, San Diego; and C. E.
Woodward, University of Minnesota, report on spectrophotometric
observations of comet C/2007 N3 using the NASA Infrared Telescope
Facilty (IRTF) telescope (+ MIRSI) on Feb. 22.6 UT.  The coma was
spatially extended at mid-infrared wavelengths, with a circularly
symmetric extent of approximately 6" in diameter (3-sigma surface
brightness).  Photometry in a 3".18-diameter circular aperture,
centered on the peak in the coma surface brightness coincident with
the nucleus position, yields fluxes of within the narrow-band IRTF
comet-silicate filters of [8.7 microns] = 3.58 +/- 0.06 Jy, [9.8
microns] = 4.98 +/- 0.09 Jy, [10.6 microns] = 5.99 +/- 0.03 Jy,
[11.6 microns] = 6.82 +/- 0.04 Jy, and [12.3 microns] = 7.54 +/-
0.06 Jy.  A Planck-function fit to the photometry yields a color
temperature of 267 +/- 10 K, which is 14 percent higher than that
of a blackbody at an equivalent heliocentric distance (1.38 AU).
Both the photometric spectral energy distribution and a low-
resolution 10-microns spectrum indicate that C/2007 N3 has no
silicate emission feature, implying a deficiency of small,
submicron-sized silicate grains in the coma.

COMETS C/2008 V4, C/2008 V5, C/2008 V6 (SOHO)
     Further to IAUC 9022, additional near-sun presumed comets have
been found on SOHO website images, with their "discovery"
observations tabulated below -- all Kreutz sungrazers except for
C/2008 V5 (non-group).  C/2008 V4 was very faint (mag about 8-8.5)
and condensed.  C/2008 V5 was perhaps very slightly diffuse but
very small (mag about 7.5-8).

COMET C/2007 N3 (LULIN)
     M. Knight and D. Schleicher, Lowell Observatory, obtained and
analyzed extensive CN narrowband images of comet C/2007 N3 on
eleven nights between Jan. 30 and Mar. 2, along with CN snapshots
on five additional nights, using the Hall 1.1-m telescope at Lowell
Observatory.  Following the removal of median radial profiles, two
side-on gas jets are seen centered at position angles near 110 deg
and 290 deg, with each showing a cork-screw morphology.  Intervals
between fifteen pairs of matching CN images from various rotational
cycles, coupled with the spacing and the outward motion of the
features, imply a nucleus rotation period of 42.0 +/- 0.5 hr.
Preliminary modeling yields an obliquity of the rotation axis near
95 deg and source locations within 30 deg of each pole.

COMETS C/2008 W1 AND C/2009 A1 (STEREO)
     Further to IAUCs 8955 and 9005, K. Battams has measured (and
B. G. Marsden has reduced) astrometry for two additional near-sun
presumed comets that were found on STEREO website images by A.
Watson.  C/2008 W1, which was observed only by the 'HI1-B'
instrument (onboard STEREO-B), was a Kreutz sungrazer.  C/2008 W1
peaked at magnitude perhaps 9-10; the SOHO LASCO instrument was not
operational when this object was found.  C/2009 A1, which was
detected by the HI1 instruments on both STEREO-A and STEREO-B,
belongs to no known group; D. Chestnov and R. Kracht aided in the
finding of images of this object in HI1-B images after it was
initially found in HI1-A images.  Battams notes that C/2009 A1 was
very faint, peaking around mag 13 (with 14 being the limiting
magnitude of the HI-1 instruments), and it was small and seemingly
diffuse.  The parabolic orbital elements below for C/2009 A1 by
Marsden were published on MPC 65057.

COMET C/2009 E1 (ITAGAKI)
     H. Yamaoka, Kyushu University, reports the discovery of a comet with
coma diameter about 70" on CCD images taken by Koichi Itagaki (Yamagata,
Japan) with a 21-cm f/3 reflector (diameter of field 2.2 deg), using
software by H. Kaneda to detect moving objects automatically.  The
original times for the two discovery images (as well as the first four
follow-up images taken at the same location with a 30-cm f/7.8 reflector)
were later corrected and relayed by S. Nakano (Sumoto, Japan), who notes that
the comet is diffuse with weak condensation and a hint of tail toward the
south, measuring total mag 11.9 from an image taken on Mar. 14.424 UT.
Available CCD astrometry, including that sent to the Central Bureau after
posting on the Minor Planet Center's NEOCP webpage:

     M. Kusiak, Astronomical Observatory, Jagiellonian University, reports
that comet C/2009 E1 is visible in SOHO SWAN ultraviolet images at website
URL http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/data/summary/swan/swan-images.html.
He measures the following coordinates in the images (x and y being 0.0 at
the upper left):  Mar. 5, x = 504, y = 327 (R.A. = 2h59m, Decl. = -3o50');
Mar. 11, x = 510, y = 311 (R.A. = 2h53m, Decl. = +4o00'); Mar. 12, x = 511,
y = 307 (R.A. = 2h50m, Decl. = +5o50').  He estimates the total mag at about
11.0.
     Visual total-magnitude and coma-diameter estimates for C/2009 E1:
Mar. 14.85 UT, 9.6, 4'.5 (J. J. Gonzalez, Leon, Spain, 0.20-m reflector;
zodiacal light); 15.103, 10:, 3' (A. Hale, Cloudcroft, NM, U.S.A., 41-cm
reflector; clouds; small condensed area within a diffuse coma).

COMET C/2009 E1 (ITAGAKI)
     M. Kusiak, Astronomical Observatory, Jagiellonian University,
reports that this comet is apparently visible in SOHO SWAN
ultraviolet images (additional details are given on CBET 1721).
Visual total-magnitude and coma-diameter estimates:  Mar. 14.85 UT,
9.6, 4'.5 (J. J. Gonzalez, Leon, Spain, 0.20-m reflector; zodiacal
light); 15.103, 10:, 3' (A. Hale, Cloudcroft, NM, U.S.A., 41-cm
reflector; clouds; small condensed area within a diffuse coma);
15.95, 9.6, 3'.5 (M. Goiato, Aracatuba, Brazil, 22-cm reflector).
     Further to IAUC 9026, additional astrometry has been published
by B. G. Marsden on MPEC 2009-E69, together with the following
preliminary parabolic orbital elements and an ephemeris.

COMET C/2009 E1 (ITAGAKI)
     H. Yamaoka, Kyushu University, reports the discovery of a
comet with coma diameter about 70" on CCD images taken by Koichi
Itagaki (Yamagata, Japan) with a 21-cm f/3 reflector (diameter of
field 2.2 deg) located at Takanezawa, Tochigi, Japan, using
software by H. Kaneda (Sapporo, Japan) to detect moving objects
automatically.  The original times for the two discovery images (as
well as the first four follow-up images taken at the same location
with a 30-cm f/7.8 reflector) were later corrected and relayed by
S. Nakano (Sumoto, Japan) and are tabulated below; they were
measured by Kaneda.  Nakano adds that the comet is diffuse with
weak condensation and a hint of tail toward the south, measuring
total mag 11.9 from an image taken on Mar. 14.424 UT.

     Available CCD astrometry, including that sent to the Central
Bureau after posting on the Minor Planet Center's NEOCP webpage,
was published on CBET 1721, with most of the astrometrists
reporting on the object's cometary appearance:  R. Holmes
(Charleston, IL, USA, 0.61-m f/4.5 astrograph; measurer H. Devore;
Mar. 15.0) reports that ten co-added exposures reveal a nuclear
condensation 28" in diameter and a diffuse coma 54".8 in diameter
with no tail.  E. Guido, G. Sostero, and P. Camilleri (observing
remotely with a 0.25-m f/3.4 reflector near Mayhill, NM, USA; Mar.
15.12) write that thirty co-added 30-s unfiltered exposures show a
bright inner coma with diameter of about 1'.4, and a faint external
halo nearly 4' in diameter (total mag about 11.0).  J. E. McGaha
(Tucson, AZ, USA, 0.36-m f/10 reflector, Mar. 15.4) relates that
fifteen stacked 30-s images show a 42"-diameter bright coma with a
fan-shaped tail spanning 60 deg (90" long at p.a. 70 deg, the
center of the fan); red magnitudes from single 30-s exposures
within specific photometric apertures:  30", 14.1; 60", 13.1; 90",
12.2; 180", 11.3.  K. Kadota (Ageo, Saitama-ken, Japan, 0.25-m f/5
reflector; Mar. 15.41) reports a bright coma of diameter 3'.8 and
total mag 10.8, with strong central condensation and no tail.

COMET C/2009 F2 (McNAUGHT)
     R. H. McNaught reports his discovery of another comet on CCD
images taken with the 0.5-m Uppsala Schmidt telescope at Siding
Spring (discovery observation tabulated below), the object
appearing well condensed with a 12" coma and a possible very weak
15" tail in p.a. 260 deg (involved with stars).  Follow-up
observations by McNaught on Mar. 20.49 UT show a 9" coma and no
tail.  Following posting on the Minor Planet Center's 'NEOCP'
webpage, R. Ligustri (Udine, Italy) reports that seven co-added
180-s CCD exposures (taken remotely with a 0.35-m f/7 telescope at
Grove Creek Observatory, Trunkey, N.S.W., Australia on Mar. 20.6)
show a coma diameter of about 18".

COMETS C/2008 W11, C/2009 W12, C/2008 X5, C/2008 X6 (SOHO)
     Further to IAUC 9028, additional presumed comets have been
found on SOHO website images.  C/2008 W11 and C/2008 W12 were
slightly diffuse Kreutz sungrazers (peak magnitudes about 8 and 8.5,
respectively).  C/2008 X5 (Meyer group) and C/2008 X6 (Marsden
group) were both small and stellar in appearance (mag about 7.5).

COMET 216P/LINEAR
     Further to IAUCs 9005, 9010, and 9020, comet P/2009 D1 =
P/2001 CV_8 (cf. IAUC 9021) has been given the permanent number
216P.  (See also MPC 65277.)

COMET P/2009 F3 (LINEAR)
     E. Guido, G. Sostero, and P. Camilleri report their recovery
of comet P/2001 MD_7 (cf. IAUC 7660) on unfiltered CCD exposures
obtained remotely with the RAS Observatory 0.25-m f/3.4 reflector
near Mayhill, NM, U.S.A., on Mar. 17 and 18 (with ten stacked 120-s
images on Mar. 18.49 UT showed a diffuse coma about 15" in diameter)
and on additional exposures obtained on Mar. 20 remotely with the
0.35-m f/6.7 reflector of Grove Creek Observatory at Trunkey, N.S.W.,
Australia.

COMET C/2009 F4 (McNAUGHT)
     R. H. McNaught reports his discovery of a strongly condensed
comet on CCD images taken with the 0.5-m Uppsala Schmidt reflector
at Siding Spring (discovery observation tabulated below), the
object showing some diffuseness.  Stacked follow-up images by
McNaught on Mar. 20.6-20.8 UT show the comet to appear softer than
the images of nearby stars of similar brightness.  Following
posting on the Minor Planet Center's 'NEOCP' webpage, G. Sostero,
E. Guido, V. Gonano, and P. Camilleri report that nineteen co-added
unfiltered CCD 300-s exposures taken on Mar. 20.1 with a 0.45-m
f/4.4 reflector at Remanzacco, Italy, show the object to be
slightly diffuse when compared to nearby stars of similar
brightness, with a short extension nearly 12" long toward the west.
R. Ligustri, Talmassons, Udine, Italy, reports that eleven stacked
180-s images taken remotely with a 0.25-m f/3 reflector near
Mayhill, NM, U.S.A., on Mar. 20.4 shows the object's images to have
a FHWM that is 30 percent larger than stars of similar brightness.

COMET C/2009 F5 (McNAUGHT)
     R. H. McNaught reports his discovery of another comet on CCD
survey images obtained with the 0.5-m Uppsala Schmidt reflector at
Siding Spring (discovery observation tabulated below), the object
showing a 0'.6 coma that appears extended toward the west, though
the full extent and existence of a tail is diffult to judge due to
the crowded star field.  Following posting on the Minor Planet
Center's 'NEOCP' webpage, other CCD astrometrists have also
commented on the object's cometary appearance.  J. E. McGaha
(Tucson, AZ, U.S.A., 0.36-m f/10 Schmidt-Cassegrain reflector, Mar.
21.4 UT) relates that five stacked 60-s exposures show a bright 6"
nuclear condensation surrounded by a faint round 16" coma and no
tail.  Three stacked 60-s images taken with the Mt. John 1.0-m
f/7.7 reflector by A. C. Gilmore on Mar. 21.5 (measured by P. M.
Kilmartin) show a circular coma of diameter 13" with a stellar
condensation at its center but no tail; however, three stacked
120-s images taken on Mar. 22.4 at Mt. John show a circular 20"
coma with the central starlike condensation and a possible faint,
broad tail 90" long in p.a. about 230 deg.  E. Guido (Castellammare
di Stabia, Italy) writes that twenty co-added, unfiltered 120-s CCD
exposures taken remotely with 0.25-m f/3.4 reflector near Mayhill,
NM, U.S.A., by G. Sostero, P. Camilleri, and himself on Mar. 22.4
reveal a coma diameter of about 30" and a strong central
condensation.  J. W. Young (Table Mountain 0.61-m f/16 Cassegrain
reflector, Mar. 22.4) reports that his exposures taken at low
altitude show a fuzzy appearance with a size around 10"-12".  R.
Ligustri (Talmassons, Udine, Italy, remotely using a 0.35-m f/7
reflector at Grove Creek Observatory, Trunkey, N.S.W., Australia,
Mar. 22.63-22.66) finds a coma of diameter about 15", elongated
toward p.a. 250 deg, on ten co-added 60-s exposures.

COMET 2009 F6
     On Apr. 4, R. D. Matson informed the Central Bureau that he
had found a possible comet on ultraviolet SWAN images posted at the
SOHO website, providing the rough positions below, and a search
ephemeris was then posted at the Minor Planet Center's 'NEOCP'
webpage.  Numerous CCD astrometrists and one visual observer have
reported confirmation of the object as a comet, with selected
positions provided below.

COMET C/2009 F6 (YI-SWAN)
     Further to IAUC 9034, H. Yamaoka, Kyushu University, informs
the Central Bureau that he received an e-mailed report on March 28
of the discovery by Dae-am Yi (Yeongwol-kun, Gangwon-do, Korea) of
a possible comet with a noticeable greenish coma of diameter about
1' (discovery observation tabulated below) on two 60-s CCD
exposures taken about 80 seconds apart with a Canon 5D camera and a
90-mm f/2.8 camera lens.  Orbital calculations suggest that this
object is identical with C/2009 F6.

2009 DD_47
     Numerous attempts to find cometary appearance in the
retrograde-orbiting object 2009 DD_47 (cf. MPEC 2009-E12; T = 2008
Oct. 29.6206 TT, e = 0.976539, q = 2.242187 AU, Peri. = 315.1224
deg, Node = 173.8329 deg, i = 107.8501 deg, equinox 2000.0) have
produced negative results.  J. Young, Table Mountain Observatory,
writes that observations taken on numerous nights in March by M.
Hicks, H. Rhoades, and himself show only a starlike appearance.

COMET C/2009 G1 (STEREO)
     Further to IAUC 9032, K. Battams reports that a slightly
diffuse comet of mag about 10-11 with no apparent tail (discovery
observation tabulated below) has been found on SECCHI HI-1B images
(cf. IAUC 8930, 8955).

COMET C/2009 G1 (STEREO)
     Further to IAUC 9032, K. Battams reports that a slightly
diffuse comet of mag about 10-11 with no apparent tail (discovery
observation tabulated below) has been found on SECCHI HI-1B images
(cf. IAUC 8930, 8955).

COMET C/2009 G1 (STEREO)
     K. Kadota (Ageo, Japan) has reported astrometry on Apr. 9.8 UT
with a 25-cm reflector, which shows that the prediction on IAUC
9036 was off by about 4'.  He found the comet to have total mag
10.6, a coma diameter of 4'.5, and strong central condensation; his
astrometry and the following revised orbital elements appear on
MPEC 2009-G32:

COMET C/2009 F6 (YI-SWAN)
     S. Korotskiy, Moscow, reports that he found a prediscovery
image of this comet (cf. IAUCs 9034, 9035) on an exposure (limiting
mag about 13) taken with a Canon EOS 20D digital camera (+ 50-mm
f/4 lens) at the Kazan State University observatory at Karachay-
Cherkessia, as given below:

COMETS C/2003 Q1, Q6; C/2008 X6; C/2008 Y10, Y11 (SOHO)
     Further to IAUC 9036, additional near-sun presumed comets have
been found on SOHO website images (with the initial observations
tabulated below).  C/2008 Y10, a Kreutz sungrazer, was stellar in
appearance (mag about 6) in C3 images; in C2 images, it was
teardrop-shaped and slightly diffuse.  C/2008 Y11, a member of the
Marsden group, was tiny and stellar in appearance (mag about 7).
R. Kracht proposed that C/2008 Y11 may be identical with C/2003 Q6
(cf. IAUC 8339), and C/2008 X6 (cf. IAUC 9030) with C/2003 Q1 (cf.
IAUC 8339); linkages by B. G. Marsden (cf. MPEC 2009-F81) suggest
that these two comets (both with P approximately 5.3 yr) may have
separated from each other around their last return to perihelion
(1998 Apr. 26-29), though Kracht was unable to find any trace of
them in C2 data from 1998 Apr. 25.

COMET P/2009 F7 (LINEAR)
     On Mar. 31, the LINEAR team reported a single-night candidate for the
recovery of comet P/2003 H4 (cf. IAUCs 8127, 8135).  Today, G. Sostero, E.
Prosperi, E. Guido, and P. Camilleri reported their recovery of this comet
on 60-s unfiltered CCD exposures taken remotely with a 0.35-m f/7 "Skylive"
reflector at the Grove Creek Observatory, Trunkey, New South Wales; thirty
co-added images show the object to have a central condensation and a diffuse
coma nearly 15" in diameter.  The available astrometry is given below.  The
correction to the orbital elements on MPC 56804 (and to those in the
2008/2009 Comet Handbook, p. 97) is Delta(T) = -0.13 day.

COMET P/2009 F7 (LINEAR)
     On Mar. 31, the LINEAR team reported a single-night candidate
for the recovery of comet P/2003 H4 (cf. IAUCs 8127, 8135).  Today,
G. Sostero, E. Prosperi, E. Guido, and P. Camilleri reported their
recovery of this comet on 60-s unfiltered CCD exposures taken
remotely with a 0.35-m f/7 "Skylive" reflector at the Grove Creek
Observatory, Trunkey, New South Wales; thirty co-added images show
the object to have a central condensation and a diffuse coma nearly
15" in diameter.  The available astrometry is given below.  The
correction to the orbital elements on MPC 56804 (and to those in
the 2008/2009 Comet Handbook, p. 97) is Delta(T) = -0.13 day.

COMET P/2009 H1 (LINEAR)
     E. Guido, G. Sostero, P. Camilleri, and E. Prosperi report their recovery
of comet P/2002 LZ11 (cf. IAUC 8240) on unfiltered CCD exposures taken
remotely with a 0.25-m f/3.4 reflector near Mayhill, NM, U.S.A., on Apr. 17;
twenty-five co-added 120-s exposures show an extremely compact coma about 12"
in diameter and a short tail nearly 25" long toward the west.  Confirming
astrometric unfiltered CCD observations on Apr. 18 were obtained remotely
with a 0.37-m f/14 reflector near Sonoita, AZ, U.S.A.; twenty 120-s co-added
exposures show a coma about 8" in diameter with a faint extension toward
the west.  They have posted an image of the comet at the following website
URL:  http://tinyurl.com/c7b2uf.

COMET P/2009 H1 (LINEAR)
     E. Guido, G. Sostero, P. Camilleri, and E. Prosperi report
their recovery of comet P/2002 LZ_11 (cf. IAUC 8240) on unfiltered
CCD exposures taken remotely with a 0.25-m reflector near Mayhill,
NM, U.S.A., on Apr. 17; co-added exposures show an extremely
compact coma about 12" in diameter and a short tail nearly 25" long
toward the west.  Confirming astrometry on Apr. 18 was obtained by
the same team remotely with a 0.37-m reflector near Sonoita, AZ,
U.S.A.; co-added exposures show a coma about 8" in diameter with a
faint extension toward the west.

COMETS C/2008 Y12-Y15 (SOHO)
     Further to IAUC 9037, additional near-sun presumed comets have
been found on SOHO website images.  C/2008 Y12 and Kreutz sungrazer
C/2008 Y15 were stellar in appearance (mag about 7.5).  C/2008 Y13,
also a Kreutz sungrazer, appeared stellar (mag about 7-7.5) in C3
images, but was very diffuse, faint, and slightly elongated in C2
images.  C/2008 Y14 was very diffuse (mag about 8).

COMET P/2009 H2 (McNAUGHT)
     Automatic procedures at the Minor Planet Center identified comet
P/2004 K2 (cf. IAUC 8348) in incidental astrometry obtained by T. H. Bressi
with the Spacewatch 0.9-m f/3 reflector on Apr. 28.  Subsequently, recovery
observations were independenty reported by G. Muler, J. M. Ruiz and R. Naves
with the 0.30-m Schmidt-Cassegrain at the Observatorio Nazaret (Lanzarate,
Spain) on May 1 and 3.  No information was provided about the comet's
appearance.

COMET P/2009 H2 (McNAUGHT)
     Automatic procedures at the Minor Planet Center identified
comet P/2004 K2 (cf. IAUC 8348) in incidental astrometry obtained
by T. H. Bressi with the Spacewatch 0.9-m f/3 reflector on Apr. 28.
Subsequently, recovery observations were independently reported by
G. Muler, J. M. Ruiz, and R. Naves with the 0.30-m Schmidt-
Cassegrain telescope at the Observatorio Nazaret (Lanzarate, Spain)
on May 1 and 3.  No information was provided about the comet's
appearance.  The first observation of each set is provided below:

COMET C/2002 S7 = C/2008 N4 = C/1996 X3 (SOHO)
     Further to IAUC 8985 and R. Kracht's suggestion that C/2002 S7
= C/2008 N4, Kracht has now confirmed the likely identification
with C/1996 X3 (cf. IAUC 8734).  Since the 1996 comet passed
perihelion 0.12 day later than the gravitational 2002-2008 linkage
indicates, he assumed the nongravitational parameters A_1 = 0.0000,
A_2 = +0.0027.  Further details are given on MPEC 2009-J14, which
includes the following orbital elements:  T = 2008 July 4.38 TT, q
= 0.0482, e = 0.9851, Peri. = 52.39 deg, Node = 49.82 deg, i =
13.47 deg (equinox 2000.0), P = 5.78 yr.

2009 HC_82
     Another minor planet in a retrograde orbit but showing no
apparent cometary features has been discovered (cf. MPEC 2009-J04)
by the Catalina Sky Survey.  The following orbital elements are
from MPO 157545:

COMETS 218P/LINEAR, 219P/LINEAR, AND 220P/McNAUGHT
     Comet P/2009 F7 = P/2003 H4 (cf. IAUC 9038) has been assigned
the permanent number 218P; comet P/2009 H1 = P/2002 LZ_11 (cf. IAUC
9039) receives the permanent number 219P; and comet P/2009 H2 =
P/2004 K2 (cf. IAUC 9040) receives the permanent number 220P.

COMET C/2009 K3 (BESHORE)
     E. Beshore reports his discovery of a comet with a diffuse
nuclear condensation in four co-added 30-s CCD images taken with
the Mount Lemmon 1.5-m reflector (discovery observation tabulated
below); co-added exposures show a faint 15" tail in p.a. about 90
deg.  Following posting on the Minor Planet Center's 'NEOCP'
webpage, W. H. Ryan writes that CCD images obtained on May 28.25-
28.27 UT with the Magdalena Ridge Observatory 2.4-m reflector also
show a distinct tail in p.a. approximately 90 deg.

COMET C/2009 K4 (GIBBS)
     A. R. Gibbs reports his discovery of a comet on unfiltered CCD
images obtained at low altitude in astronomical twilight with the
Catalina 0.68-m Schmidt telescope (discovery observation tabulated
below); four co-added 15-s exposures show a 5" x 9" coma, elongated
in the direction of motion, with a "fuzzy halo" 11" across.  Four
co-added 30-s follow-up images obtained by R. E. Hill on May 28.2
UT with the 1.5-m reflector at Mt. Lemmon show a coma 20"-24" in
diameter with no obvious tail.  After posting on the Minor Planet
Center's 'NEOCP' webpage, other CCD astrometrists have also
commented on the object's cometary appearance.  J. Young (Table
Mountain 0.61-m reflector, May 27.2 and 28.2, low altitude; nearby
faint galaxies were problematical) reports a very diffuse coma of
diameter 12" with little central condensation and no tail.  M.
Pietschnig (Alter Satzberg, Vienna, Austria, 0.35-m reflector, May
27.84-27.86) measures a 15" coma.  M. Jaeger (Stixendorf, Austria,
0.20-m reflector, May 27.9) reports a coma of diameter 1'-1'.5 of
total mag about 16 with a nuclear condensation of mag about 17.5.
E. Guido and G. Sostero, Castellammare di Stabia, Italy, report
that twenty-one co-added 120-s unfiltered images obtained remotely
on May 28.2 with a 0.25-m reflector near Mayhill, NM, U.S.A., show
a sharp central condensation about 6" in diameter surrounded by an
extremely faint outer coma nearly 40" in diameter.  C. Hergenrother,
Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, reports that a co-added 11-min
R-band exposure with the Kuiper 1.54-m reflector shows a circular
coma 17" in diameter.

COMET C/2009 K5 (McNAUGHT)
     R. H. McNaught reports his discovery of a comet on CCD images
obtained with the 0.5-m Uppsala Schmidt telescope at Siding Spring
(discovery observation tabulated below), the object being slightly
diffuse with a diameter of 10".  After posting on the Minor Planet
Center's 'NEOCP' webpage, C. Jacques and E. Pimentel (Belo
Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, 0.30-m f/3 reflector, May 28.34-
28.35 UT) find that the comet shows a condensed coma of diameter
20".  G. Sostero, E. Guido, P. Camilleri, and E. Prosperi report
that sixteen stacked 60-s unfiltered exposures, obtained remotely
with a 0.35-m f/7 reflector at the Skylive-Grove Creek Observatory
(near Trunkey, Australia) on May 28.5 under good seeing conditions,
show that this object has a small, compact coma nearly 6" in
diameter, with a hint of elongation toward the northeast.

COMET P/2009 K1 (GIBBS)
     As predicted on IAUC 9044, additional astrometry has shown
this comet to be of short period; orbital elements from MPEC
2009-K48:  T = 2009 June 25.934 TT, q = 1.32261 AU, e = 0.63948,
Peri. = 27.086, Node = 172.802, i = 5.745 (equinox 2000.0), P =
7.03 years.

COMET C/2001 D1 = C/2004 X7 = C/2008 S2 = C/1997 J6 (SOHO)
     Further to IAUC 8986, R. Kracht has identified very weak
images of a presumed comet on SOHO images from 1997 that he and
B. G. Marsden have linked (via measurements by K. Battams) to the
comets in 2001, 2004, and 2008 with nongravitational forces.

COMET P/2009 L1 (LINEAR)
     L. Elenin, Lyubertsy, Moscow region, Russia, reports the recovery of
comet P/2002 JN16 (cf. IAUC 7907) on CCD images obtained remotely with the
0.36-m /3.8 Maksutov-Newtonian telescope at Tzec Maun Observatory (near
Mayhill, NM, USA).  The recovery was confirmed by M. Schwartz with the 0.81-m
f/7 Ritchey-Chretien reflector at Tenagra Observatory (near Rio Rico, AZ, USA;
observatory code 926), whose images clearly show a tail of length about 35"
in p.a. 248 degrees.  The available astrometry are as follows:

COMET P/2009 L2 (YANG-GAO)
     Rui Yang, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; and Xing Gao, Urumqi,
Xinjiang, China, report the discovery of a new comet on several
survey images (limiting mag about 15) taken by Gao in the course of
the Xingming Comet Survey using a Canon 350D camera (+ 10.7-cm
f/2.8 camera lens) at Mt. Nanshan -- the new object identified as
cometary by Yang.  After posting on the Minor Planet Center's
'NEOCP' webpage, numerous other CCD astrometrists have reported the
object to have cometary appearance during June 16.4-16.7 UT,
including E. Guido and G. Sostero (remotely using a "Global
Rent-a-Scope" 25-cm reflector near Mayhill, NM, U.S.A.; ten
co-added unfiltered 60-s exposures show a coma of diameter about
40" and a tail nearly 90" long in p.a. 245 deg); L. Elenin
(remotely using a 20-cm refractor at Tzec Maun Observatory near
Cloudcroft, NM; coma of size about 36" with a short tail in p.a.
225 deg); E. Prosperi and P. Camilleri (remotely using a 36-cm
reflector at Grove Creek Observatory, Trunkey, N.S.W., Australia;
30" coma with 70" tail in p.a. 240 deg); M. Suzuki (Utsunomiya,
Tochigi, Japan, remotely using a "Global Rent-a-Scope" 25-cm
reflector at Moorook, South Australia; coma diameter about 30");
Y. Ikari (Moriyama, Shiga-ken, Japan, 26-cm reflector; coma
diameter 0'.8, with a 2'.2 tail in p.a. 253 deg); R. Ligustri
(Udine, Italy; remotely using a 35-cm reflector at Moorook;
fifteen co-added 60-s exposures show a coma diameter of about 30");
C. Jacques and E. Pimentel (remotely using a 25-cm reflector at
Moorook; 45" coma and a broad tail 1'.5 long in p.a. 240 deg).

COMET 221P/2009 L1 (LINEAR)
     L. Elenin, Lyubertsy (Moscow region), Russia, reports the
recovery of comet P/2002 JN_16 (cf. IAUC 7907) on CCD images
obtained remotely with a 0.36-m f/3.8 Maksutov-Newtonian telescope
near Mayhill, NM, USA (first observation tabulated below).  The
recovery was confirmed by M. Schwartz with a 0.81-m f/7 reflector
near Rio Rico, AZ, USA, whose images clearly show a tail of length
about 35" in p.a. 248 deg.

The correction to the predictions on MPC 56802 and in the 2008/2009
Comet Handbook is Delta(T) = -0.2 day.  Additional information, the
available astrometry, the following revised orbital elements,
residuals, and an ephemeris appear on CBET 1831.  The permanent
number 221P has been assigned to this comet (cf. MPC 66145).

COMETS C/2008 E10, C/2008 Y16, AND C/2008 Y17 (STEREO)
     Further to IAUCs 9025 and 9036, additional slightly diffuse
and somewhat elongated Kreutz sungrazers have been found on STEREO/
SECCHI HI-1A images (the elongation is partly due to the long
exposure times, about 40 min).  Approximate peak magnitudes:
C/2008 E10, 11-12; C/2008 Y16, 10-11; C/2008 Y17, 10.  K. Battams
notes that Kreutz comets in the HI-1 images generally initially
appear out of the background noise at mag about 13.5, and they are
still in the process of brightening as they leave the field-of-view;
he adds that their rates of initial brightening varies -- some
making very abrupt appearances, while others gradually come into
view.

TRANSIENT FEATURES ON JUPITER
     J. H. Rogers, Jupiter Section Director, British Astronomical Association,
reports on BAA Electronic Bulletin No. 00429 word of the discovery by
Anthony Wesley (Murrumbateman, NSW, Australia) of a "virtually black" spot in
Jupiter's South Polar Region, very similar in appearance to the impact spots
of comet D/1993 F2 in July 1994.  Information at the web site
http://www.acquerra.com.au/astro/ notes that the discovery was made by
Wesley (0.37-m f/5 reflector) on July 19.56 UT and shows an image he obtained
(Point Grey Research Dragonfly2 mono camera, 60-s exposure) on July 19.66.
Rogers adds that the spot is at longitude 216 deg (System II) and that
T. Mishina (Japan) also reported the same spot in an image taken at about
the same time.

COMETS C/2009 A8-A10 AND C/2009 O1 (STEREO)
     Further to IAUC 9054, additional Kreutz sungrazers have been
found on STEREO spacecraft images (CO = COR2-A and COR2-B).  K.
Battams, Naval Research Laboratory, notes that the three January
comets were all small, faint, and slightly diffuse (mag around
11-12).  C/2009 O1, which may have been around mag 6 or 6.5,
appeared as a somewhat-long thin streak with no discernable head or
coma in COR2-A images; in COR2-B images, the comet appeared much
more condensed (possibly slightly diffuse and with a hint of a
barely detectable tail).

COMET C/2009 O2 (CATALINA)
     An apparently asteroidal comet discovered in the course of the
Catalina Sky Survey (discovery observation tabulated below), and
posted on the Minor Planet Center's 'NEOCP' webpage, has been found
by other CCD astrometrists to show cometary appearance.  J. V.
Scotti, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, writes that images taken on
July 30.2 UT with the Kitt Peak 1.8-m f/2.7 reflector shows the
object to be slightly diffuse with an 8" coma and a faint tail
0'.35 long in p.a. 155 deg.  W. H. Ryan reports that his images
from July 30.35-30.37 with the 2.4-m f/8.9 reflector at Magdalena
Ridge Observatory show a coma and a very faint tail in p.a. about
135 deg.

COMET 222P/2009 MB_9 = 2004 X1 (LINEAR)
     R. H. McNaught, Siding Spring Survey, writes that 2009 MB_9
(cf. MPEC 2009-M56; MPS 289318, 289477, 289905) appeared cometary
on Aug. 2.  H. Sato, Tokyo, suggested identity with comet P/2004 X1,
the indicated correction to the prediction on MPC 56804 (erroneously
cited as MPEC 56804 on CBET 1893) being Delta(T) = -2.2 days.  The
rediscovery observation is given below; further details are on MPEC
2009-P09.  The comet has been assigned the permanent number 222P
(MPC 66631).

COMET P/2009 O3 (HILL)
     Additional astrometry of this comet (cf. IAUC 9058) shows it
to be of short period; orbital elements from MPEC 2009-Q05:

COMET C/2009 P2 (BOATTINI)
     A. Boattini reports his discovery of a strongly condensed
comet with a 8" coma and no tail on four co-added 30-s CCD
exposures taken with the Catalina 0.68-m Schmidt telescope
(discovery observation tabulated below).  Following posting on the
Minor Planet Center's 'NEOCP' webpage, other CCD astrometrists have
also commented on the object's slight cometary appearance.  P.
Birtwhistle (Great Shefford, Berkshire, England, 0.40-m reflector,
Aug. 15.9 UT) finds the object to be distinctly diffuse with
diameter 9", possibly elongated east-west (though with no obvious
tail); on Aug. 18.0, he found it to be slightly softer than the
nearby stellar images (maximum dimensions of 11" x 9", elongated
east-west, with a star of similar brightness having size
approximately 6" x 6").  S. Foglia reports that fifteen stacked
60-s images obtained by R. Holmes (Charleston, IL, USA, 0.61-m
astrograph, Aug. 16.2) show the comet to be slightly elongated
(size 6" x 4") in p.a. 222 deg.  R. Ligustri (Talmassons, Udine,
Italy, 0.25-m reflector, Aug. 16.3) reports that fifteen 180-s
exposures show the object to have a slightly diffuse coma.  F.
Fratev (Sofia, Bulgaria, 0.35-m reflector, Aug. 18.0) writes that
thirty stacked 40-s unfiltered exposures show a coma nearly 15" in
diameter.  E. Guido (Castellammare di Stabia, Italy) reports that
G. Sostero and he co-added twenty 120-sunfiltered exposures
obtained remotely with a 0.25-m reflector near Mayhill, NM, USA,
on Aug. 18.3, revealing an extremely compact coma about 8" in
diameter, slightly elongated toward the southwest.

COMET P/2009 L18 (SKIFF)
     G. Sostero, E. Guido, P. Camilleri and E. Prosperi report the recovery
of comet P/2002 S1 (cf. IAUC 7972) from the coaddition of 40 unfiltered 60-s
CCD exposures obtained remotely on June 15.6 UT with the 0.35-m f/7 reflector
at the Skylive-Grove Creek Observatory (near Trunkey, NSW, Australia).  The
recovery was confirmed from the coaddition of 10 unfiltered 300-s exposures
with the same equipment on Aug. 18.6.  The object was of stellar appearance on
each occasion.

PERSEID METEORS 2009
     P. Jenniskens and L. Genovese, SETI Institute; G. Barentsen,
International Meteor Organization (IMO); and J. Vaubaillon, Institut de
Mecanique Celeste et de Calcul des Ephemerides, report that at least two
outbursts were detected on top of this year's annual Perseid shower activity.
The first outburst occurred at Aug. 12d08h06m +/- 9m UT (solar longitude
139.623 deg, equinox 2000.0) with a peak rate of ZHR = 120 +/- 30 meteors/hr
and duration FWHM = 0.5 hr (observations by W. Watson, W. Godley, R. Lunsford,
P. Kozich, and W. Stone, IMO); this event is tentatively identified as an
anticipated encounter with the 1610-A.D. ejecta of comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle,
predicted to occur at 07h16m UT (P. Jenniskens 200x, *Meteor Showers and
their Parent Comets*, p. 657).  In addition, Vaubaillon reports that dust
from 1737 ejecta was at the same location, with both 1610 and 1737 ejecta
calculated to fall just outside of the earth's orbit.
     The second outburst occurred at Aug. 13d06h09m +/- 15m UT (140.505 deg)
with a peak rate ZHR = 180 +/- 30 meteors/hr and duration FWHM = 1.0 hr
(from observations by Watson, Godley, B. McCurdy, and Stone, IMO); this
outburst was unusually rich in bright meteors and was photographed at
Fremont Peak Observatory in California.  Vaubaillon identifies this event
as an encounter with the 441-A.D. ejecta, calculated to peak at 06h06m UT.
     High rates were anticipated, too, from 1348-A.D. ejecta (predicted
encounter at 16h55m UT) and from older dust trapped in mean-motion
resonances creating a structure called the Perseid Filament (predicted
encounter at 17h00m UT).  High rates reported in China during the period
13h-19h UT, if confirmed, may have come on account of this.

COMETS C/2009 L3-L17, C/2009 M1, AND C/2009 M2 (SOHO)
     Further to IAUC 9059, additional presumed comets have been
found on SOHO website images, all being Kreutz sungrazers except
for C/2009 L8 and C/2009 L13 (Kracht group).  C/2009 L3 was very
diffuse and slightly elongated (mag about 7.5).  C/2009 L4 was
stellar in appearance (mag about 6.5) in C3 images but quite large
and very condensed with no visible tail in C2 images; COR2-A STEREO
images show a bright starlike head and a very faint, thin tail.
C/2009 L5, C/2009 L7, C/2009 L11 (also described as small), and
C/2009 L15 were slightly diffuse (peak magnitudes about 7.5, 7.5-8,
8, and 8, respectively).  C/2009 L6 was stellar in appearance (mag
about 6.5-7) in C3 images, and condensed with no tail in C2 images.
C/2009 L8 (mag about 7-7.5) and C/2009 L13 (mag about 7.5-8) were
small and stellar in appearance.  C/2009 L9 and C/2009 L12 were
very diffuse (mag about 8).  C/2009 L10 (slightly diffuse), C/2009
L14 (quite diffuse), and C/2009 M1 (quite diffuse) were very faint
(mag about 8.5).  C/2009 L16 was quite diffuse (mag about 7.5).
C/2009 L17 was stellar in appearance (mag about 6.5) in C3 images,
but quite diffuse with a short, faint tail in C2 images.  C/2009
M2 was small and stellar in appearance (mag about 7) in C3 images,
and showed a hint of a very faint tail in C2 images.

COMET P/2009 L18 (SKIFF)
     G. Sostero, E. Guido, P. Camilleri and E. Prosperi report the
recovery of comet P/2002 S1 (cf. IAUC 7972) from the co-addition of
forty unfiltered 60-s CCD exposures obtained remotely on June 15.6
UT with the 0.35-m f/7 reflector at the Skylive-Grove Creek
Observatory (near Trunkey, NSW, Australia).  The recovery was
confirmed from the co-addition of ten unfiltered 300-s exposures
with the same equipment on Aug. 18.6.  The object was of stellar
appearance on each occasion (the first observations on each night
are tabulated below); the complete set of astrometry appears on
CBET 1913, along with corrected and new pre-discovery observations
from Palomar, orbital elements for epoch 2002 Mar. 27, residuals,
and an ephemeris.

THE EDGAR WILSON AWARD 2009
     The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory announces that the
2009 Edgar Wilson Award for the discovery of comets (cf. IAUCs 6936,
8962) is being divided among the following five individuals for
five different comets:  Robert E. Holmes, Jr. (Charleston, IL,
U.S.A.) for C/2008 N1 (cf. IAUC 8959); Stanislav Maticic (Crni Vrh
Observatory, Slovenia) for C/2008 Q1 (cf. IAUC 8966); Michel Ory
(Delemont, Switzerland) for P/2008 Q2 (cf. IAUC 8967); Koichi
Itagaki (Yamagata, Japan) for C/2009 E1 (cf. IAUC 9026); and Dae-am
Yi (Yeongwol-kun, Gangwon-do, Korea) for C/2009 F6 (cf. IAUC 9035).

COMET P/2009 Q1 (HILL)
     R. E. Hill reports his discovery of a diffuse comet with no
clear condensation and a 12"-15" coma with a broad, diffuse tail
about 20" long in p.a. 250 deg on co-added 30-s exposures taken in
2"-3" seeing on Aug. 27 with the Catalina Sky Survey 0.68-m Schmidt
telescope (discovery observation tabulated below).  Hill adds that
Catalina images taken on Aug. 28.3 UT show a diffuse nuclear
condensation with a 16"-20" coma, the broad, diffuse tail being
about 1'-2' long, with similar appearance also on Aug. 29.3 images.
After posting on the Minor Planet Center's 'NEOCP' webpage, other
CCD astrometrists have also noted the object's cometary appearance.
L. Buzzi (Varese, Italy, 0.60-m reflector; Aug. 28.1) notes a quite
strong condensation and a diffuse tail about 30" long in p.a. about
260 deg.  G. Hug (Scranton, KS, U.S.A., 0.56-m reflector; Aug. 28.3)
measured a tail in p.a. about 250 deg.  E. Guido and G. Sostero
(remotely using a 0.25-m reflector near Mayhill; Aug. 28.3, fifteen
120-s unfiltered exposures) report a diffuse coma almost 15" in
diameter.  H. Sato (Tokyo, Japan, remotely using a 0.25-m reflector
near Mayhill; Aug. 28.3) finds a diffuse 30" coma with a wide tail
of length about 1'.6.  K. Kadota (Ageo, Saitama-ken, Japan, 0.25-m
reflector; Aug. 28.7) notes a diffuse coma of diameter 0'.4 with a
hint of tail toward the west.  J. Lacruz (Madrid, Spain, 0.40-m
reflector; Aug. 29.0, twenty co-added 2-min images) finds the
object to be very diffuse with a round coma of size 12" and a tail
20" long in p.a. 249 deg.  F. Fratev (Sofia, Bulgaria, 0.35-m
reflector; Aug. 29.1, five 60-s unfiltered exposures) notes a
diffuse coma nearly 10" in diameter.  D. Chestnov (remotely using a
0.41-m reflector at the Tzec Maun Observatory near Mayhill; Aug.
29.27) reports a diffuse 15" coma with a short tail in p.a. 255 deg.

COMET P/2009 Q2 (LINEAR-NEAT)
     J. V. Scotti, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, reports his
recovery of comet P/2003 XD_10 (cf. IAUC 8257) showing stellar
appearance on Spacewatch images obtained with the 1.8-m f/2.7
reflector at Kitt Peak (first observation tabulated below).

COMET C/2009 Q3 (LINEAR)
     J. V. Scotti, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, reports his
recovery of comet P/2002 T1 (cf. IAUC 7983) showing a "soft"
appearance (no obvious coma or tail) on Spacewatch images obtained
with the 1.8-m f/2.7 reflector at Kitt Peak (first observation
tabulated below).

COMET C/2009 Q4 (BOATTINI)
     A. Boattini reports his discovery of a strongly condensed
comet with coma diameter about 8" (slightly elongated in p.a. 250
deg) in CCD images taken with the Catalina 0.68-m Schmidt telescope
(discovery observation tabulated below); Catalina images taken by
R. E. Hill on Aug. 28.4 UT show a small nuclear condensation with a
2" coma and a narrow tail about 10"-15" in p.a. 290 deg.  Following
posting on the `NEOCP' webpage, R. Ligustri (Udine, Italy) writes
that his CCD images on Aug. 29.4 (remotely using a 0.25-m reflector
near Mayhill, NM) show a slightly diffuse coma with diameter about
15".  J. V. Scotti notes that images taken on Aug. 30.5 with the
Spacewatch 1.8-m reflector show a 9" coma and a 0'.68 tail in p.a.
257 deg.

COMET C/2009 Q5 (McNAUGHT)
     R. H. McNaught reports his discovery of a comet with a
circular 18" coma on CCD images obtained with the 0.5-m Uppsala
Schmidt telescope (discovery tabulated below); five stacked 30-s
images obtained after moonset on Aug. 31.7-31.8 UT show a 0'.4 coma
and a 50" tail in p.a. 285 deg.  After posting on the Minor Planet
Center's 'NEOCP' webpage, other CCD astrometrists have noted the
object's cometary appearance.  S. Foglia reports that fifteen
stacked 60-s CCD images taken by R. Holmes (Charleston, IL, U.S.A.,
0.61-m telescope) reveal a round coma of diameter 10" with a 30"
tail in p.a. 260 deg.  Fifteen stacked 120-s unfiltered exposures
taken remotely on Sept. 1.3 by E. Guido and G. Sostero with a
0.25-m reflector near Mayhill, NM, U.S.A., show a compact coma of
diameter about 12" and a broad tail nearly 20" long in p.a. 255
deg.  H. Sato (Tokyo, Japan, remotely using a Rent-A-Scope 0.25-m
reflector near Mayhill on Sept. 1.35) finds a diffuse coma of
diameter 8"-20" and no tail.  Frames taken by R. Miles with the
Haleakala 2.0-m 'Faulkes Telescope North' on Sept. 1.6 show a
diffuse 15" coma elongated toward p.a. 285 deg.

COMETS C/2009 D7 AND C/2009 D8 (SOHO)
     Further to IAUC 9059, additional presumed comets have been
found on SOHO website images.  C/2009 D7 was bright (mag about 4)
with a short tail in LASCO C3 images, while it showed a short tail
and faded quickly in C2 images; this comet was also detected in
STEREO COR2-A and COR2-B images with a tail about 0.3 deg long.
C/2009 D8 was slightly elongated, small, and stellar in apperance
(mag about 7, but it faded rapidly).

COMET C/2009 R1 (McNAUGHT)
     R. H. McNaught reports his discovery of a comet with a
circular 12" comet on CCD images taken with the 0.5-m Uppsala
Schmidt telescope at Siding Spring (discovery observation tabulated
below), with follow-up images on the same night showing the object
to be clearly diffuse.  Pre-discovery Uppsala Schmidt images taken
by G. J. Garradd and McNaught on July 20, Aug. 1, and 18 have been
identified by T. Spahr and B. G. Marsden in astrometry submitted to
the Minor Planet Center (McNaught now reporting only marginal coma
visible on those dates).  Following posting on the MPC's 'NEOCP'
webpage, other CCD astrometrists have noted the object's cometary
appearance.  M. Busch, R. Kresken, J. Kuusela, and Z. Sodnik
(European Space Agency's Optical Ground Station, Tenerife, 1.0-m
f/4.4 reflector, Sept. 9.9 UT) measure a coma of size 6"-8".  E.
Guido and G. Sostero write that twenty co-added 120-s unfiltered
exposures (obtained remotely on Sept. 10.2 with a 0.25-m reflector
near Mayhill, NM, U.S.A.) show a coma of diameter about 12" with a
hint of elongation toward p.a. 65 deg.

COMET P/2009 R2 (PIGOTT-LINEAR-KOWALSKI)
     R. A. Kowalski reports his discovery of a very diffuse comet
of diameter 15"-20" with a faint central condensation and a 29"
elongation in p.a. 280 deg on co-added 60-s CCD exposures taken
with the Catalina 0.68-m Schmidt telescope (discovery observation
tabulated below).  Following posting on the Minor Planet Center's
'NEOCP' webpage, other CCD astrometrists have commented on the
object's cometary appearance.  P. Birtwhistle (Great Shefford,
Berkshire, England, 0.40-m f/6 Schmidt-Cassegrain reflector, Sept.
11.2 UT) notes the object to be diffuse without obvious central
condensation, with diameter 10" and a 15" tail in p.a. 265 deg.
E. Guido and G. Sostero write that ten co-added 120-s unfiltered
exposures (obtained remotely on Sept. 11.4 with a 0.25-m f/3.4
reflector located near Mayhill, NM, U.S.A.) show that this object
is diffuse without a clear central condensation (coma diameter at
least 10", but affected by glare from a nearby field star).  G. Hug
(Scranton, KS, U.S.A., 0.56-m reflector, Sept. 11.43-11.46) finds
the object to be very diffuse with slight condensation.

     D. Chestnov, Moscow, Russia, has both suggested and
demonstrated that comet P/2009 R2 = P/2003 A1 (cf. IAUCs 8044, 8053,
8430).  The offset of the 2009 discovery observation from the
prediction on MPC 56803 and in the 2008/2009 Comet Handbook is
Delta(R.A.) cos (Decl.) = +15.4 deg, Delta(Decl.) = +8.1 deg; it is
meaningless to indicate a Delta(T) value because the prediction is
strongly influenced by a very close approach to Jupiter (nominally
0.0605 AU on 2006 Sept. 10.4 TT).  The following orbital elements
by B. G. Marsden (from MPEC 2009-R40) linking the 2003 and 2009
observations (with the Jupiter approach as 0.0564 AU on 2006 Sept.
10.3), while only slightly different from the earlier 2003 result,
has a 2009 orbital period that is as much as 0.20 year smaller than
that of the prediction.

COMET 88P/HOWELL
     J. Crovisier, P. Colom, N. Biver, and D. Bockelee-Morvan,
LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, report that observations of the 18-cm
lines of OH in comet 88P/Howell with the Nancay radio telescope
show an increase in the average OH-production rate from 1.0 +/- 0.2
x 10**28 molecules/s during Aug. 1-13 to 4.3 +/- 0.5 x 10**28
molecules/s during Aug. 28-Sept. 3.

COMET P/2009 QG_31
     An apparently asteroidal object discovered on CCD images taken
remotely in the course of the "La Sagra Sky Survey" (LSSS), with a
0.45-m f/2.8 reflector located at Sagra mountain in southeastern
Spain, has been found to show cometary appearance by CCD
astrometrists elsewhere.  The observation tabulated below was
assigned "discovery" status after the Minor Planet Center linked
"one-night" LSSS observations made on Aug. 19 with others made on
Aug. 25 (though earlier LSSS observations were made on Aug. 16),
and later LSSS and Catalina observations linked by the MPC allowed
the issuance a comet-like orbit on Sept. 8 (MPEC 2009-R26).

Images obtained with a 0.40-m reflector on Sept. 10.0 UT by the
LSSS team, to look for cometary appearance, showed no obvious coma,
but images taken by A. F. Tubbiolo and R. S. McMillan with the
Spacewatch 1.8-m reflector on Sept. 12.3 show the object to be
diffuse with a coma approximately 12"-15" in diameter.  E.
Bryssinck (near Cloudcroft, NM, U.S.A.; Tzec Maun 0.4-m reflector;
Sept. 16.3) finds a coma diameter of about 10".  F. Hormuth,
Almeria, Spain, writes that three stacked 180-s images obtained
with the Calar Alto 3.5-m telescope (+ prime-focus camera 'LAICA' +
r' filter) on Sept. 17.9 show a nearly round coma of diameter 12".
R. Miles, Stourton Caundle, Dorset, England, reports that images
taken on Sept. 18.4 by G. Muler with the 2-m 'Faulkes Telescope
North' at Haleakala show a faint coma of diameter about 10".  G.
Sostero, E. Guido, P. Camilleri, M. Jaeger, W. Vollmann, and E.
Prosperi report that 24 stacked, unfiltered, 60-s exposures
obtained remotely with a 0.35-m reflector at the Skylive-Grove
Creek Observatory (near Trunkey, Australia) on Sept. 18.5 show a
round coma nearly 7" in diameter.  R. Ligustri (Udine, Italy,
0.35-m reflector; Sept. 19.9) measured a coma diameter of 10"-15"
from fifteen stacked 240-s images.  Elliptical orbital elements
from MPEC 2009-S67 from 53 observations, Aug. 16-Sept. 19 (the
available astrometry appears on MPS 292728, 294488, 295077,
and 295950):

COMET C/2009 U1 (GARRADD)
     G. J. Garradd, Siding Spring Observatory, reports his
discovery of a comet with the 0.5-m Uppsala Schmidt telescope
(discovery observation tabulated below); stacking five 60-s
exposures showed a 7".4 coma (FWHM) and faint fan tail 30" long in
p.a. 160 deg with a 45-deg fan angle.

COMET P/2009 U2 (LINEAR)
     J. V. Scotti reports his recovery of comet P/2001 YX_127 (cf.
IAUC 7828) with the Spacewatch II telescope at Kitt Peak; the comet
was very slightly diffuse, with a short but faint tail.  The
indicated correction to the prediction in the 2009/2010 Comet
Handbook is Delta(T) = -0.33 day [and Delta(T) = -0.36 day to the
prediction on MPC 62881].

COMET P/2009 SK_280 (SPACEWATCH-HILL)
     R. E. Hill, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, reports his
discovery of a comet with the Mount Lemmon Survey's 1.5-m f/2
reflector on Oct. 15.4 UT.  Four co-added 30-s exposures showed a
small, condensed nuclear condensation with a 20"-30" fan-shaped
tail in p.a. 240 deg; the comet's appearance was similar on four
further co-added exposures an hour later.  Pre-discovery Spacewatch
observations (all showing asteroidal appearance) obtained by T. H.
Bressi, J. V. Scotti, and R. S. McMillan on Sept. 17, 25, and 29
were then identified at the Minor Planet Center, those on the last
two nights having previously been linked under the designation 2009
SK_280 and published on MPS 297945.  The two discovery observations
are given below (the Spacewatch data from Sept. 25 being made with
the 0.9-m f/3 reflector at Kitt Peak).

COMET C/2009 U3 (HILL)
     R. E. Hill reports his discovery of a comet (discovery
observation tabulated below) on CCD images taken in 3"-4" seeing
with the Catalina 0.68-m Schmidt telescope, noting the object in
co-added exposures to have an nuclear condensation of diameter
about 5"-7" elongated southwest-northeast, with a coma of diameter
about 12"-15", and a diffuse tail about 15"-20" long in p.a. 220-
230 deg.  A similar appearance was noted by Hill on four co-added
60-s exposures from Oct. 22.4 UT in slightly better seeing, noting
a nuclear condensation of diameter about 10"-15" and "no noticeable
coma", with the broad, diffuse tail being about 20" long in p.a.
220 deg.  After posting on the 'NEOCP' webpage, other CCD
astrometrists have also commented on the object's cometary
appearance.  G. Sostero, E. Guido, and P. Camilleri (fifteen co-
added unfiltered 60-s exposures obtained remotely with a 0.35-m
reflector at the Skylive-Grove Creek Observatory near Trunkey,
Australia; Oct. 21.7) report a diffuse coma about 10" in diameter
with a central condensation and a tail about 12" long toward the
west; their further co-added frames on Oct. 22.6 also show a
diffuse coma of size about 12".  Exposures taken by A. Asami and N.
Hashimoto (Bisei Spaceguard Center 1.0-m reflector; Oct. 21.74-
21.76) show a 15" coma with a tail 25" long in p.a. 235 deg.  P. R.
Holvorcem notes that three co-added 120-s exposures taken by M.
Schwartz and himself on Oct. 22.4 with the Tenagra II 0.81-m
telescope near Nogales, AZ, USA, show a coma diameter of 9" with a
5" tail toward p.a. 195 deg.  A. D. Grauer (Mt. Lemmon 1.5-m
reflector, Oct. 22.4) reported that his co-added 60-s exposures
show a 9" coma and a flared tail 15" long in p.a. 230 deg.  H. Sato
(Tokyo, Japan, remotely using a 0.25-m reflector at the RAS
Observatory near Mayhill, NM, U.S.A., on Oct. 22.5) finds a diffuse
coma of diameter 15".  R. Miles writes that four stacked 15-s
frames taken by G. Privett with the 2.0-m 'Faulkes Telescope North'
at Haleakala on Oct. 22.6 show the comet to be elongated 5".0 x
1".5, aligned in p.a. 75-255 deg.

ORIONID METEORS 2009
     P. Jenniskens, SETI Institute, reports that the current elevated rate of
Orionids above their normal 23 meteors/hr zenith hourly rate (ZHR), and a
higher-than-normal abundance of relatively bright meteors (magnitude -2 to
-7), is likely to continue for another 1-2 days.
     The International Meteor Organization reports rates of ZHR = 32
meteors/hr on Oct. 21.5 UT, possibly still climbing.  Y. K. Chia, observing
from Singapore, first noticed high rates of bright Orionids on Oct. 19.8.
Javor Kac, observing from Veliki Raven in Slovenia, reported high Orionid
rates on Oct. 20.1, the brightest of which was of magnitude -7.  The next
night, Kac photographed eleven Orionids in 3 hours; his brightest meteor
that night was a Orionid of magnitude -4 that left a 50-s persistent train.
Koen Miskotte and Carl Johannink (Dutch Meteor Society), observing from
Wismar in Germany, report mean magnitudes of 2.65 for 31 Orionids and 4.00
for 22 sporadic meteors around Oct. 20.9.
     As noted on CBET 1976, this outburst was predicted by M. Sato and J.-I.
Watanabe (2007, PASJ 59, L21) and is thought to be due to dust particles
ejected by comet 1P/Halley in the years prior to -11 and now moving in the
1:5 to 1:8 mean-motion resonances with Jupiter, creating a "filament" dust
cloud typical of Halley-type comets.

COMET C/2009 U4 (McNAUGHT)
     Robert H. McNaught, Australian National University, reports
his discovery of a comet with a weak-to-moderately condensed 30"
coma on CCD images (discovery observation tabulated below) taken
with the 0.5-m Uppsala Schmidt telescope at Siding Spring
Observatory.  McNaught subsequently identified images of the comet
that he had taken on Oct. 22.46 UT, noting it to be then rather
diffuse, but with its coma clearly extended in p.a. 50 deg, on
images taken for C/2009 R1; observations were then identified on
Uppsala Schmidt frames taken by G. J. Garradd on Oct. 11.5, when
the object again appeared quite diffuse with the coma extended to
the northeast.  After posting on the Minor Planet Center's 'NEOCP'
webpage, other CCD astrometrists also remarked on the object's
cometary appearance.  C. Jacques and E. Pimentel (Belo Horizonte,
Minas Gerais, Brazil, 0.30-m reflector, Oct. 23.99) report that ten
stacked 30-s exposures show a very diffuse coma with diameter 22".
G. Hug (Scranton, KS, U.S.A., 0.56-m reflector, Oct. 24.1) notes
the object as diffuse with a slight elongation in p.a. 330 deg.
R-band images taken by W. H. Ryan and E. V. Ryan (Magdalena Ridge
Observatory, 2.4-m reflector, Oct. 24.1) show a northward tail.  A.
Boattini (Mt. Lemmon 1.5-m reflector, Oct. 24.1) finds a fairly
strongly condensed coma of diameter 15" with a faint fan-shaped
tail about 110 deg wide.  J. E. McGaha (Tucson, AZ, U.S.A., 0.36-m
Schmidt-Cassegrain reflector, Oct. 24.1) writes that ten stacked
60-s images show a round 8" coma with a faint, broad, fan tail 15"
long in p.a. 60 deg.  H. Sato (Tokyo, Japan, remotely using a
0.25-m reflector at the RAS Observatory near Mayhill, NM, U.S.A.,
on Oct. 24.1) finds a diffuse coma of diameter 20".

COMET C/2009 U5 (GRAUER)
     A. D. Grauer reports the discovery of a comet on four co-added
60-s CCD exposures taken with the Mount Lemmon 1.5-m reflector, the
object having a very condensed coma about 7" wide and a faint tail
20" long in p.a. 280 deg.  Following posting on the Minor Planet
Center's 'NEOCP' webpage, W. H. Ryan reported finding a tail in p.a.
about 270 deg on CCD exposures taken by E. V. Ryan and himself with
the Magdalena Ridge Observatory 2.4-m f/8.9 reflector on Oct. 24.5
and 25.4 UT.

COMET C/2009 U6 (LINEAR)
     An apparently asteroidal object discovered by the LINEAR
survey (discovery observation tabulated below), and posted on the
Minor Planet Center's 'NEOCP' webpage, has been found to show
cometary appearance by other CCD astrometrists.  T. Kryachko,
Moscow, writes that images taken by B. Satovski and himself with a
0.3-m f/7.7 reflector at the Zelenchukskaya Station of Engelhardt
Observatory on Oct. 28.1 UT show a diffuse coma of diameter 8" and
a 30" tail in p.a. 290 deg.  F. Fratev (Zvezdno Obshtestvo
Observatory, Plana, Bulgaria, 0.35-m f/3.4 reflector, Oct. 29.1)
reports that fifteen stacked 40-s unfiltered exposures show a
diffuse coma nearly 10" in diameter and a tail about 30" long in
p.a. 305 deg.  J. L. Montani notes that roughly-120-s drift-scan
images taken by T. H. Bressi on Oct. 29.5 with the Spacewatch
1.8-m reflector at Kitt Peak show a straight, fan-shaped, 80" tail
in p.a. 288 deg; the tail is 15" wide at 80" from the nucleus.

COMETS C/2009 J11, C/2009 J12, AND C/2009 K6 (SOHO)
     Further to IAUC 9088, two additional near-sun presumed comets
have been found on SOHO website images.  C/2009 J11, a Kreutz
sungrazer, was tiny and stellar in appearance in C3 images (peak
mag about 7-7.5), but slightly diffuse with a hint of a very faint
tail in C2 images.  C/2009 J12 (a Marsden-group member; mag about
7.5-8) and C/2009 K6 (also a Kreutz sungrazer; mag about 7) were
also stellar in appearance.

COMET P/2009 U6 (LINEAR)
     K. Kadota, Ageo, Saitama-ken, Japan, reports pre-discovery CCD
images of this comet (cf. IAUC 9090), obtained with a 0.25-m f/5
reflector on Oct. 19.80-19.81 UT, showing the object at total mag
16.8 with a 0'.4 coma and a tail 0'.7 long in p.a. 285 deg.  The
following elliptical orbital elements (from 29 observations, Oct.
19-30) appear on MPC 67414:

COMET 228P/LINEAR
     The permanent number 228P has been assigned to comet C/2009 U2
= P/2001 YX_127 (cf. IAUC 9085; MPC 67349).

LEONID METEORS 2009
     P. Jenniskens, SETI Institute, reports that the earth is predicted to
encounter the 1466 and 1533 dust ejecta of comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle on 2009
Nov. 17d21h43m-50m UT.  This may result in a brief (about 1 hr) duration
outburst of Leonid meteors with peak Zenith Hourly Rate, ZHR, > 100 meteors
per hour.  The best viewing will be from sites in mid-Asia, including China,
Indochina, India, Nepal, Mongolia, and Indonesia.  Initial peak-rate
predictions of ZHR = 5000 meteors per hour (Jenniskens 2006, *Meteor Showers
and Their Parent Comets*, Cambridge Univ. Press, p. 631) have since been
adjusted downward to reflect the results from more-recent observations of
55P's older dust trail encounters.  However, peak rates critically depend on
the exact position of the 1533 dust trail, which is uncertain because of the
unknown orbit of the comet in 1533 and because the trail now moves rapidly
by the earth at the time of the predicted Leonid meteor outburst.
     The forecast by (1) J. Vaubaillon and P. Atreya (I.M.C.C.E., Paris),
Jenniskens, and J. Watanabe and M. Sato (National Astronomical Observatory
of Japan) is summarized below and compared to results by (2) M. Maslov,
Novosibirsk, Russia (two predicted peaks for each of the two trails); (3)
by D. Moser and B. Cooke, NASA Meteoroid Enivronment Office; by (4) E.
Lyytinen and M. Nissinen, Helsinki, Finland (2009, WGN 37, 122-124);
and by (5) D. Asher, Armagh Observatory (also two predicted peaks for the
1466 trail).  The miss distance is positive if the dust trail is outside
the earth's orbit, and negative if inside the earth's orbit.

COMET C/2009 W1 (HILL)
     R. E. Hill, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, reports his
discovery of a comet (discovery observation tabulated below) on CCD
images taken with the 0.68-m Schmidt telescope in the course of the
Catalina Sky Survey; three co-added 30-s exposures in 4"-5" seeing
show a small nuclear condensation 7"-8" across with a diffuse,
faint tail 20"-30" long in p.a. about 300 deg.  Four co-added 40-s
exposures in 2"-3" seeing by Hill on Nov. 19.4 UT show a nuclear
condensation 4"-5" across with a 1"-2" coma and a tail 20"-30" long
and 10"-12" wide in p.a. about 300 deg.  After posting on the Minor
Planet Center's 'NEOCP' webpage, other CCD astrometrists have also
noted the object's cometary appearance.  F. Fratev, Sofia, Bulgaria,
reports that twenty-one stacked 40-s CCD exposures obtained with a
0.35-m reflector at Plana, Bulgaria, on Nov. 19.1 shows a diffuse
coma nearly 10" in diameter and a tail about 60" long in p.a. 275
deg.  G. Hug (Scranton, KS, U.S.A., 0.56-m reflector, Nov. 19.5)
notes a condensed nuclear condensation and a short, diffuse tail
20" long in p.a. 290 deg.  A. R. Gibbs (Mt. Lemmon 1.5-m reflector,
Nov. 19.5) writes that four co-added 60-s unfiltered CCD images
taken in good seeing show a bright, diffuse coma of size 5" x 7"
with a 30" tail in p.a. 290 deg whose width is constant and equal
to the coma diameter.  D. Chestnov, Moscow, reports that five
stacked 300-s unfiltered CCD exposures taken by T. Kryachko and B.
Satovski with a 0.3-m reflector at the Zelenchukskaya Station of
Engelhardt Observatory on Nov. 19.04 show a tiny coma and a 0'.2
tail in p.a. 285 deg.

IRAS 06068-0641 AND IRAS 06068-0643
     P. Wils, Vereniging Voor Sterrenkunde, Hever, Belgium; J. Greaves,
Northamptonshire, U.K.; A. J. Drake, California Institute of Technology; M.
Catelan, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile; and the Catalina Real-time
Transient Survey (CRTS) collaboration (cf. CBETs 1523, 2023) report the
discovery of a possible FU-Ori-type eruption (see Hartmann and Kenyon 1996,
ARAA 34, 207) located at R.A. = 6h09m19s.32, Decl. = -6o41'55".4 (equinox
2000.0), and coincident with the infrared source IRAS 06068-0641.  Discovered
by the CRTS on Nov. 10, it has been continuously brightening from at least
early 2005 (when it was mag 14.8 on unfiltered CCD images) to the present mag
12.6, and may possibly brighten further.  On recent images, a faint cometary
reflection nebula is visible to the east.  A spectrum (range 350-900 nm),
taken with the SMARTS 1.5-m telescope at Cerro Tololo, on Nov. 17, shows
H_alpha in emission, all other Balmer lines and He I (at 501.5 nm) in
absorption, and a very strong Ca II infrared triplet in emission, confirming
it to be a young stellar object.  The object lies inside a dark nebula to the
south of the Mon R2 association, and is likely related to it.  In addition,
also inside this dark nebula, a second object at R.A. = 6h09m13s.70, Decl. =
-6o43'55".6, coincident with IRAS 06068-0643, has been varying between mag 15
and 20 over the past few years, reminiscent of UX-Ori-type objects with very
deep fades.  Also, this second object supports a variable cometary reflection
nebula, extending to the north.  The spectrum of this object also shows
H_alpha and the strong Ca II infrared triplet in emission.  Light curves,
spectra, and images are available at the following website URL:
http://crts.caltech.edu/CSS091110.html.

COMET C/2009 W2 (BOATTINI)
     A. Boattini reports his discovery of a comet (discovery
observation tabulated below) on CCD images taken with the 0.68-m
Schmidt telescope in the course of the Catalina Sky Survey; he
notes a moderately condensed coma about 7" wide, with no tail
visible.  R. E. Hill reports that four co-added 60-s CCD images
taken in 2" seeing with the Mt. Lemmon 1.5-m reflector on Nov. 23.5
UT show a bright nuclear condensation with a small (1"-2") coma and
a short, broad tail 6"-7" long in p.a. about 80 deg; his similar
exposures on Nov. 24.44-24.46 show a 4" x 5" nuclear condensation
that is elongated east-west with a 1" coma surrounding, and a broad,
diffuse 30" tail in p.a. 90 deg.  After posting on the Minor Planet
Center's 'NEOCP' webpage, W. H. Ryan writes that CCD images taken
by E. V. Ryan and himself with the Magdalena Ridge Observatory
2.4-m f/8.9 reflector on Nov. 24.5 show a tail in p.a. about 90 deg.

COMET 169P/NEAT
     B. G. Marsden, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, has
identified a comet found in STEREO spacecraft images with comet
169P.  K. Battams, Naval Research Laboratory, reports that the
comet appears very clearly (marginally diffuse with no tail) at
apparent mag about 9-10 on Nov. 12.9 UT in HI-1B images (limiting
mag about 13.5), when it was only about 4.5 deg from the sun (r =
0.69 AU, Delta = 0.88 AU, and 0.38 AU from STEREO), so that forward
scattering is a likely explanation for 169P's being well above its
observed brightness from ground-based observations (cf. MPEC
2009-W102).  Over the next few days, 169P moved to increasing
elongations, with its brightness falling gradually; by Nov. 21
(elongation 18 deg), STEREO images show the comet to be noticeably
smaller and fainter (mag perhaps 11-12).

LEONID METEORS 2009
     P. Jenniskens, SETI Institute; and J. Vaubaillon and P. Atreya, IMCCE,
Paris, observing from the National Observatory of Nepal, report that the
Leonid shower (cf. CBET 2019) did show enhanced rates.  In a 40-min clear-sky
interval centered at Nov. 17d23h25m UT, the Leonid rate was ZHR = 56 +/- 16
meteors.  G. Barentsen, International Meteor Organization, analysed 3756
visually observed Leonids by 107 observers; from 1670 Leonids observed under
sky limiting magnitudes in excess of 5.0, he found an average population
index of chi = 1.9 +/- 0.4.  Based on this, he calculated a peak activity of
ZHR = 101 +/- 8 at Nov. 17d20h19m +/- 8m UT, with a FWHM of 4 +/- 1 hr.
Alternatively, the reported rates can be interpreted as composed of a
1-day-wide filament component with peak ZHR = 25 +/- 5 meteors
(magnitude-distribution index chi = 1.9) at solar longitude 235.35 deg (Nov.
17d17h UT), and one or two narrow peaks centered on 235.50 +/- 0.01 deg and
235.67 +/- 0.03 deg (equinox 2000.0), with FWHM = 0.08 and 0.12 deg and peak
rates of ZHR = 60 and 20/hr.  Presumably, these were caused by the encounters
with the 1466 and 1533 dust trails of comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle.

COMET P/2009 S1 = P/2001 Q10 (GIBBS)
     R. Matson (Irvine, CA) has identified astrometric observations
of this comet (cf. IAUC 9074) on NEAT 1.2-m reflector frames taken
on 2001 Aug. 23 and 24 at Haleakala and on 2001 Sept. 24 and Oct. 27
at Palomar.

COMET P/2009 W1 (HILL)
     Additional astrometry has shown that this comet (cf. IAUC 9095)
is of short period; orbital elements from MPEC 2009-W147:

LEONID METEORS 2009
     Editor's note:  this text replaces that on CBET 2046.
     P. Jenniskens, SETI Institute; and J. Vaubaillon, P. Atreya, and F.
Vachier, IMCCE, Paris, observing from the National Observatory of Nepal,
report that the Leonid shower (cf. CBET 2019) did show enhanced rates.  In
a 40-min clear-sky interval centered at Nov. 17d23h25m UT, the Leonid rate was
ZHR = 56 +/- 16 meteors.  G. Barentsen, International Meteor Organization,
analyzed 3756 visually observed Leonids by 107 observers; from 1670 Leonids
observed under sky limiting magnitudes in excess of 5.0, he found an average
population index of chi = 1.9 +/- 0.4.  Based on this, he calculated a peak
activity of ZHR = 101 +/- 8 at Nov. 17d20h19m +/- 8m UT, with a FWHM of 4 +/-
1 hr.  Alternatively, the reported rates can be interpreted as composed of a
1-day-wide filament component with peak ZHR = 25 +/- 5 meteors
(magnitude-distribution index chi = 1.9) at solar longitude 235.35 deg (Nov.
17d17h UT), and one or two narrow peaks centered on 235.50 +/- 0.01 deg and
235.67 +/- 0.03 deg (equinox 2000.0), with FWHM = 0.08 and 0.12 deg and peak
rates of ZHR = 60 and 20/hr.  Presumably, these were caused by the encounters
with the 1466 and 1533 dust trails of comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle.

COMET P/2009 U6 = 1997 A2 = 2002 Q15 (LINEAR)
     S. Nakano, Sumoto, Japan, has identified observations of comet P/2009 U6
(cf. IAUC 9090, 9092) among single-night data from NEAT at the two preceding
apparitions:

     The comet's approach to a distance of 0.88 AU from Jupiter in Sept. 2007
means that the orbital period, currently 6.27 years, was previously 6.48-6.49
years, with the comet's previous two perihelion passages occurring on
2003 Mar. 3 and 1996 Sept. 4.

COMET P/2009 X1 (LINEAR-NEAT)
     G. Hug, Scranton, KS, reports his recovery of comet P/2003 CP7 (cf. IAUC
8092), of asteroidal appearance on CCD frames obtained with the 0.56-m
reflector at Sandlot Observatory on Dec. 11, 15 and 16.  The recovery position
is as follows, the indicated correction to the prediction on MPC 62880 being
Delta_T = -0.5 day:

COMET P/2009 W1 = 1999 XO188 (HILL)
     F. Manca, Bosisio Parini (LC), Italy, has suggested that comet P/2009 W1
(cf. IAUC 9095, 9097) was observed at its previous perihelion passage as 1999
XO188, the observations of which, all by LINEAR, are given on MPS 9249 and
82876.  An orbit was published on MPO 50446.  The 1999 discovery observation
is:

COMET C/2009 Y1 (CATALINA)
     An apparently asteroidal object reported by R. E. Hill (discovery
observation below) using the 0.68-m Schmidt at the Catalina Sky Survey and
added to the NEO Confirmation Page was shown to be cometary by W. H. Ryan
and E. V. Ryan at the Magdalena Ridge Observatory, when observations on
Dec. 18.4 and 20.5 UT with the 2.4-m f/8.9 reflector showed a faint tail in
p.a. 260 deg.  Hints of cometary activity on the western side of the nucleus
were also suspected by H. Sato (RAS Observatory, Mayhill, 0.25-m f/3.4
reflector) on Dec. 18.4 and by L. Buzzi (Schiaparelli Observatory, 0.60-m
f/4.64 reflector) on Dec. 20.2.

COMET C/2009 Y2 (KOWALSKI)
     R. A. Kowalski, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, reports a cometary
object (discovery observation below) with the 0.68-m Schmidt at the Catalina
Sky Survey; in good seeing, it appeared more diffuse than a typical object of
comparable brightness and showed what appeared to be a round coma with
strong condensation in p.a. 270 deg.  Observations by A. R. Gibbs with the
Mt. Lemmon 1.5-m reflector on Dec. 20.2 UT showed a 4".5 broad tail in p.a. 45
deg.  After the discovery had been added to the NEO Confirmation Page,
W. H. Ryan and E. V. Ryan (Magdalena Ridge Observatory, 2.4-m f/8.9 reflector)
on Dec. 20.2 and 21.1 confirmed a faint tail in p.a. 45 deg.  A 105-min
integration by P. Birtwhistle (Great Shefford, Berkshire, England, 0.40-m
f/6.0 Schmidt-Cassegrain) on Dec. 20.9 showed the object to have a diameter of
about 6" with a 10" extension in p.a. 50 deg; a faint, straight tail was
suspected, also in p.a. 50 deg, at least 25" and possibly up to 45" long.

COMET 229P/2009 S1 (GIBBS)
     The comet P/2009 S1 = P/2001 Q10 (cf. IAUCs 9074, 9097) has
been assigned the permanent number designation 229P.

COMET 230P/2009 U6 = 1997 A2 = 2002 Q15 (LINEAR)
     As first reported on CBET 2072, S. Nakano, Sumoto, Japan, has
identified observations of comet P/2009 U6 (cf. IAUCs 9090, 9092)
among single-night data from NEAT at the two preceding apparitions
(on 1997 Jan. 11; and 2002 Aug. 20 and Sept. 9).  R. Matson, Irvine,
CA, independently located the images corresponding to the same
observations (now given the designations P/1997 A2 and P/2002 Q15)
and provided measurements from them, together with measurements
from NEAT images on 1997 Jan. 10 and on five further nights during
2002 July 24-Sept. 16.  The comet's approach to a distance of 0.88
AU from Jupiter in Sept. 2007 means that the orbital period,
currently 6.27 years, was previously 6.48-6.49 years, with the
comet's previous two perihelion passages occurring on 2003 Mar. 3
and 1996 Sept. 4.  The available 1997 and 2002 astrometry (together
with more from 2009), orbital elements linking the three
apparitions, residuals, and an ephemeris appear on MPEC 2009-X47.
The permanent number designation 230P has been assigned to this
comet.

COMET 231P/2009 X1 (LINEAR-NEAT)
     As first announced on CBET 2081, G. Hug (Scranton, KS, U.S.A.)
reports his recovery of comet P/2003 CP_7 (cf. IAUC 8092), being of
asteroidal appearance on CCD frames obtained with the 0.56-m
reflector at Sandlot Observatory on Dec. 11, 15, and 16.  The
recovery position is as follows, the indicated correction to the
prediction on MPC 62880 being Delta(T) = -0.5 day:

Further details, including a new orbital linkage, are given on MPEC
2009-Y17.  The permanent number designation 231P has been assigned
to this comet.

COMET P/2009 Y2 (KOWALSKI)
     As first announced on CBET 2088, R. A. Kowalski (Lunar and
Planetary Laboratory) reports a cometary object (discovery
observation tabulated below) found on images taken with the
Catalina Sky Survey's 0.68-m Schmidt telescope; in good seeing, it
appeared more diffuse than a typical object of comparable
brightness and showed what appeared to be a round coma with strong
condensation in p.a. 270 deg.  Observations by A. R. Gibbs with the
Mt. Lemmon 1.5-m reflector on Dec. 20.2 UT showed a 4".5 broad tail
in p.a. 45 deg.  After the discovery had been added to the Minor
Planet Center's 'NEO Confirmation Page', W. H. Ryan and E. V. Ryan
(Magdalena Ridge Observatory, 2.4-m f/8.9 reflector) on Dec. 20.2
and 21.1 confirmed a faint tail in p.a. 45 deg.  A 105-min
integration by P. Birtwhistle (Great Shefford, Berkshire, England,
0.40-m f/6 Schmidt-Cassegrain reflector) on Dec. 20.9 showed the
object to have a diameter of about 6" with a 10" extension in p.a.
50 deg; a faint, straight tail was suspected, also in p.a. 50 deg,
at least 25" (and possibly up to 45") long.

COMET 232P/2009 W1 = 1999 XO_188 (HILL)
     As first announced on CBET 2083, F. Manca (Bosisio Parini,
Italy) has suggested that comet P/2009 W1 (cf. IAUCs 9095, 9097)
was observed at its previous perihelion passage as 1999 XO_188, the
observations of which (all by LINEAR, from 1999 Dec. 12 and 15 and
2000 Jan. 2, with the comet's magnitude given then as about 18-19)
are given on MPS 9249 and 82876.  An orbit was published on MPO
50446.  Additional Mt. Lemmon observations from 2008 Nov. 8 and an
orbital linkage are given on MPEC 2009-Y21.  This comet has been
assigned the permanent number designation 232P.

COMET C/2009 Y1 (CATALINA)
     As first announced on CBET 2084, an apparently asteroidal
object reported by R. E. Hill (discovery observation tabulated
below) using the Catalina Sky Survey 0.68-m Schmidt telescope,
after being added to the Minor Planet Center's 'NEO Confirmation
Page', was found to be cometary by W. H. Ryan and E. V. Ryan at the
Magdalena Ridge Observatory, when observations on Dec. 18.4 and
20.5 UT with the 2.4-m f/8.9 reflector showed a faint tail in p.a.
260 deg.  Hints of cometary activity on the western side of the
nuclear condensation were also suspected by H. Sato (remotely using
an RAS Observatory 0.25-m f/3.4 reflector near Mayhill, NM, U.S.A.)
on Dec. 18.4 and by L. Buzzi (Schiaparelli Observatory, 0.60-m
f/4.6 reflector) on Dec. 20.2.

COMET C/2010 A1 (HILL)
     R. E. Hill, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, reports a cometary
object (discovery observation below) with the 0.68-m Schmidt at the Catalina
Sky Survey; in 2-4-arcsec seeing and moonlight, there was a 4-5-arcsec
condensation and a coma 10-15-arcsec across, with no obvious tail.  Four
coadded images obtained by E. C. Beshore with the Mt. Lemmon 1.5-m reflector
on Jan. 6.5 UT showed a very faint tail in p.a. 270 deg and perhaps 15" in
length.  After the discovery had been added to the NEO Confirmation Page,
Y. Ikari (Moriyama, Japan, 0.26-m f/7.0 reflector, Jan. 6.6) reported a
0'.2 coma; P. Birtwhistle (Great Shefford, Berkshire, England, 0.40-m f/6.0
Schmidt-Cassegrain, Jan. 7.1) described a weak condensation offset to the
southeast of a 15" by 22" coma, with the brightest part of the coma 6" by 12"
extending in p.a. 50 and 230 deg; and H. Sato (RAS Observatory, Mayhill, NM,
U.S.A., 0.25-m f/3.4 reflector, Jan. 7.2) mentioned a 20" coma elongated
in p.a. 110 deg.  On Jan. 7.2, Hill detected a short, fan-shaped tail,
20-30-arcsec long, in p.a. 270 deg.

     Further astrometry, the following parabolic orbital elements and an
ephemeris are given on MPEC 2010-A31.  It is possible that the comet is of
short period.

COMET P/2010 A2 (LINEAR)
     A comet reported by the LINEAR project (discovery observation below) and
placed on the NEO Confirmation Page has been reported as cometary by several
observers.  On Jan. 7.0 UT, P. Birtwhistle (Great Shefford, Berkshire, England,
0.40-m f/6.0 Schmidt-Cassegrain) described a straight tail extending at least
130" in p.a. 280 deg but noted that the absence of an obvious central
condensation made measurement of the comet's position very difficult.  On
Jan. 7.2, W. H. Ryan (Magdalena Ridge Observatory, 2.4-m f/8.9 reflector) also
remarked on the very distinct, bright tail in p.a. 280 deg and the difficulty
of identifying the center of the elongated condensation.  At the same time,
H. Sato (RAS Observatory, Mayhill, NM, U.S.A., 0.25-m f/3.4 reflector)
likewise described the tail in p.a. 280 deg and noted the measurement
difficulty.  On Jan. 7.3, E. C. Beshore (Mt. Lemmon Survey, 1.5-m reflector)
followed the tail out to nearly 4' (in p.a. 285 deg), while on Jan. 7.6
K. Kadota (Ageo, Japan, 0.25-m f/5.0 reflector) followed it out to 5'.

COMET C/2010 A1 (HILL)
     R. E. Hill, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, reports his
discovery of a comet on CCD images taken with the Catalina 0.68-m
Schmidt reflector (discovery observation tabulated below),
describing the object from co-added exposures in 2"-4" seeing as
having a nuclear condensation about 4"-5" across with a 12"-15"-
radius coma beyond that and no obvious tail (but a slight east-west
elongation) in moonlight; his follow-up images in thin haze on Jan.
7.24-7.25 UT show a similar appearance but with a short, fan-shaped
tail 20"-30" long in p.a. about 270 deg.  Four co-added images
obtained by E. C. Beshore with the Mt. Lemmon 1.5-m reflector on
Jan. 6.5 showed a very faint tail perhaps 15" long in p.a. 270 deg.
Following posting on the Minor Planet Center's 'NEOCP' webpage,
other CCD astrometrists have noted the object's cometary appearance.
Y. Ikari (Moriyama, Shiga-Ken, Japan, 0.26-m f/7 reflector, Jan.
6.6) measured a coma diameter of 0'.2.  P. Birtwhistle (Great
Shefford, Berkshire, England, 0.40-m f/6 Schmidt-Cassegrain
reflector, Jan. 7.1) found a diffuse coma of size 15" x 22",
elongated in p.a. 310 deg, with a weak condensation offset to the
southeast (the brightest part of the surrounding coma is 6" x 12"
and extends in p.a. 50 deg and 230 deg).  H. Sato (Ota-ku, Tokyo,
Japan, remotely using a 0.25-m f/3.4 reflector of the RAS
Observatory, near Mayhill, NM, U.S.A., Jan. 7.2) finds a 20" coma
elongated toward p.a. 110 deg.  W. H. Ryan (Magdalena Ridge
Observatory, 2.4-m f/8.9 reflector, Jan. 7.3) remarked on a
distinct coma.

Further astrometry, the following preliminary parabolic orbital
elements, and an ephemeris are given on MPEC 2010-A31.  It is
possible that the comet is of short period.

COMET P/2010 A2 (LINEAR)
     An apparently asteroidal object reported by the LINEAR project
(discovery observation tabulated below) and placed on the NEO
Confirmation Page has been reported as cometary and difficult to
measure by several CCD astrometrists.  P. Birtwhistle (Great
Shefford, Berkshire, England, 0.40-m f/6 Schmidt-Cassegrain
reflector, Jan. 7.0) found the object to be a headless comet with a
straight tail in individual 20-s exposures (in a 2600-s integration,
the tail has a length of at least 130" in p.a. 280 deg and a width
of 10"-14" along its entire length -- brightest in a 20" area
starting 6" from the eastern end, fading gradually to the west);
there is no obvious central condensation, but the center of
brightness may be approximately 11" from the eastern end, and the
positional measurement was very difficult.  On images obtained
during Jan. 7.84-7.87, Birtwhistle found a similar appearance to
the previous night but found the tail to be at least 260" long in
p.a. 279 deg.  W. H. Ryan (Magdalena Ridge Observatory, 2.4-m f/8.9
reflector, Jan. 7.20-7.29) reports an ill-defined elongated nuclear
condensation and a very distinct, bright tail in p.a. about 280 deg.
H. Sato (Ota-ku, Tokyo, Japan, remotely using a 0.25-m f/3.4
reflector of the RAS Observatory, near Mayhill, NM, U.S.A., Jan.
7.2) notes a very diffuse coma 10" in diameter and a 2'.2 tail
toward p.a. 280 deg.  On Jan. 7.3, E. C. Beshore (Mt. Lemmon Survey,
1.5-m reflector) followed the tail out to nearly 4' in p.a. 285 deg.
K. Kadota (Ageo, Saitama-ken, Japan, 0.25-m f/5 reflector, Jan. 7.7)
found the comet to be diffuse, with a weak central condensation and
a faint coma of diameter 0'.5, showing a straight, narrow tail 5'
long in p.a. 280 deg.

COMET C/2010 A3 (HILL)
     R. E. Hill reports his discovery of another comet with the
Catalina 0.68-m Schmidt telescope (discovery observation tabulated
below); four co-added 30-s CCD exposures show a well-condensed
nuclear condensation 4"-5" across with a possible 2" coma beyond
that and a broad, diffuse tail 10"-15" long in p.a. 80 deg.  Four
follow-up co-added 30-s CCD exposures by A. Boattini with the Mt.
Lemmon 1.5-m reflector on Jan. 8.16-8.17 show a well-condensed
comet with a coma about 5"-6" wide and a broad, fan-shaped tail
about 15" long in p.a. 75 deg.  Following posting on the Minor
Planet Center's 'NEOCP' webpage, other CCD astrometrists have also
noted the object's cometary appearance.  A. Novichonok, Kondopoga,
Russia, reports that five stacked 300-s images taken remotely by T.
Kryachko with the 0.3-m f/8 Astrotel reflector at Zelenchukskaya
Station on Jan. 8.7 UT show a round, diffuse coma of diameter 10"
and a wide, faint 15" tail in p.a. 280 deg.  H. Sato (Ota-ku,
Tokyo, Japan, remotely using an RAS Observatory 0.25-m f/3.4
reflector near Mayhill, NM, U.S.A.; Jan. 9.1 UT) finds a 10" coma
elongated toward p.a. 95 deg.  W. H. Ryan (Magdalena Ridge
Observatory, 2.4-m f/8.9 reflector; Jan. 9.12-9.15) notes a coma
and a faint tail in p.a. about 80 deg on R-band images.  E. Guido
(Castellammare di Stabia, Italy) reports that he and G. Sostero
co-added eighteen 120-s unfiltered exposures taken remotely as
done by Sato (above) on Jan. 9.14-9.16, showing a coma nearly 10"
in diameter, slightly elongated toward p.a. 50 deg.  K. Kadota
(Ageo, Saitama-ken, Japan, 0.25-m f/5 reflector; Jan. 9.5) reports
the comet to be diffuse with central condensation, with a coma
diameter of 0'.4 and a faint tail 1'.5 long in p.a. 80 deg.

COMET C/2010 A4 (SIDING SPRING)
     On Jan. 12, G. J. Garradd reported his discovery of an
apparently asteroidal object on CCD images taken with the 0.5-m
Uppsala Schmidt telescope (discovery observation tabulated below);
after posting on the Minor Planet Center's 'NEOCP' webpage, Garradd
later reported the object being elongated about 10" in p.a. 150 deg
but with no clear tail in four 60-s stacked exposures.  Other CCD
astrometrists have also commented on the object's cometary
appearance, including W. H. Ryan (Magdalena Ridge Observatory,
2.4-m f/8.9 reflector, Jan. 13.35-13.38 UT), who noted a tail in
p.a. about 325 deg in R-band images.  E. Guido, Castellammare di
Stabia, Italy, reports that twenty co-added 120-s unfiltered
exposures taken by G. Sostero and himself remotely with a 0.25-m
f/3.4 reflector located near Mayhill, NM, U.S.A., on Jan. 13.4 show
a diffuse coma nearly 8" in diameter with a very weak central
condensation.  S. Foglia writes that thirty stacked 60-s images
taken by R. Holmes (Ashmore, IL, U.S.A., 0.61-m reflector, Jan.
13.5) show the object to be diffuse.

COMET P/2010 A1 (HILL)
     Additional astrometry has show this comet (cf. IAUC 9104)
to be of short period; elements from MPEC 2010-A50:

COMET P/2010 A5 (LINEAR)
     An apparently asteroidal object reported by the LINEAR project
(discovery observation tabulated below) and placed on the Minor
Planet Center's 'NEOCP' webpage has been reported as cometary by
other CCD astrometrists.  R. Ligustri (Udine, Italy, remotely using
a 0.32-m f/9 reflector at RAS Observatory, Moorook, Australia; Jan.
15.7 UT) writes that 24 stacked 60-s image show a coma of size
about 20".  L. Buzzi (Varese, Italy, 0.60-m reflector; Jan. 16.2)
reports that stacked images totalling 15 min of exposure time
obtained in good seeing show a compact coma elongated in p.a. 300
deg, with a tail visible in that direction for at least 20".  K.
Sarneczky (Konkoly Observatory, 1.02-m Ritchey-Chretien telescope;
Jan. 16.2) notes that a 120-s co-added image shows a 25"-long fan-
shaped tail in p.a. 290 deg.  E. Guido and G. Sostero (remotely
using a 0.25-m reflector near Mayhill, NM, U.S.A.; Jan. 16.4) write
that fifteen co-added 120-s exposures show a diffuse coma nearly
12" in diameter, elongated about 20" in p.a. 300 deg.  W. H. Ryan
(Magdalena Ridge Observatory, 2.4-m reflector; Jan. 16.5) reports
that R-band exposures taken by E. V. Ryan and himself show a coma
with a tail in p.a. about 280 deg.  H. Sato (Ota-ku, Tokyo, Japan,
remotely using a 0.25-m reflector at RAS Observatory, near Mayhill,
NM; Jan. 16.5) finds a 10" coma elongated toward p.a. 240 deg.  S.
Foglia (using a 0.18-m reflector at Tzec Maun Observatory,
Cloudcroft, NM, U.S.A., with P. Concari, G. Galli, and M. Tombelli;
Jan. 16.5) reports that eight stacked 120-s images show the object
to be diffuse with mag about 17.1.

COMET P/2010 A2 (LINEAR)
     Further to IAUC 9105, the following improved orbital elements
(from MPEC 2010-A78) for this comet are like those of a minor
planet in the inner part of the main belt:  T = 2009 Nov. 17.248 TT,
q = 1.97580 AU, e = 0.13178, Peri. = 125.600 deg, Node = 321.073
deg, i = 5.099 deg (equinox 2000.0), P = 3.43 years.
     J. V. Scotti, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, reports that
there is no distinct nuclear condensation on CCD images of this
comet taken by R. S. McMillan with the Spacewatch 1.8-m f/2.7
reflector on Jan. 8.2 and 12.4 UT; on Jan. 8, the coma size was
about 8" x 11", with a sharper edge on the northern boundary, and a
long, narrow tail at least 4'.6 long in p.a. 279 deg; a faint spike
extended 0'.34 in p.a. 137 deg.
     D. Jewitt, University of California at Los Angeles; and J.
Annis and M. Soares-Santos, Fermilab, report observations of P/2010
A2 from Jan. 11 and 12 UT with the WYNN 3.5-m telescope on Kitt
Peak.  The object appears as a point-like body of red mag 23.0 +/-
0.5 located 2".5 +/- 0".5 east of the apex of a broad, low-surface-
brightness dust tail; the latter lacks strong condensation and is
more than 5' in length (see website URL
http://www2.ess.ucla.edu/~jewitt/MBC5.html).  The detected nucleus
is approximately 150-200 m in diameter (assuming albedo 0.1),
connected to the tail by an unresolved light bridge.  With
semimajor axis less than Jupiter's, and Tisserand parameter 3.6,
P/2010 A2 is the fifth recognized example of a main-belt comet (MBC),
differing from other MBCs in being an inner-belt object (orbit
consistent with membership in the Flora family).  The location of
the nucleus outside the tail suggests a recent impulsive origin for
P/2010 A2, perhaps from a recent collision between two previously
unseen minor planets, with radiation pressure driving the
separation between the nucleus and the tail.  In this scenario, the
bridge consists of large impact-produced particles slowly
separating from the nucleus under radiation pressure and Kepler
shear.  Future observations are encouraged to test this hypothesis.
     J. Licandro, Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias; G. P. Tozzi,
Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, Arcetri; and T. Liimets, Nordic
Optical Telescope (NOT) and Tatru Observatory, report that 5-min R-
and V-band exposures obtained on Jan. 14.945-14.985 UT with the
2.5-m NOT (+ ALFOSC) shows the presence of an asteroidal object 2"
east of (and moving at the same rate as) the uncondensed "dust
swarm" of P/2010 A2, which itself is 4' long (177000 km at the
comet's distance) and about 5" wide in p.a. 277 deg.  Similar
reports of the comet's appearance have been received from other
observers, including R. Haver and L. Buzzi.

COMET P/2010 A2 (LINEAR)
     [Editor's note:  this CBET contains additional information that
could not be published on IAUC 9109 because of printing/space constraints,
due to the great interest in this unusual object.]
     Further to IAUC 9105, the following improved orbital elements (from
MPEC 2010-A78) for this comet are like those of a minor planet in the inner
part of the main belt:

     J. V. Scotti, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, reports on additional CCD
images of this comet taken by R. S. McMillan with the Spacewatch 1.8-m f/2.7
reflector on Jan. 8.2 and 12.4 UT, in which there was no distinct nuclear
condensation, though the presumed location of the nucleus would be the
eastern end of the elongated coma structure.  On Jan. 8, the coma size was
about 8" x 11", with a sharper edge on the northern boundary, and a long,
narrow tail extended to at least 4'.6 in p.a. 279 deg; a faint spike extended
0'.34 in p.a. 137 deg.  Nine co-added images (effective integration time 1390
s) from Jan. 12 show the width of the elongated coma to be about 11", and its
length to be about 13" in p.a. 297 deg, with a tail at least 4'.8 long in
p.a. 278 deg.
     J. Licandro, Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias (IAC); G. P. Tozzi,
Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, Arcetri; and T. Liimets, Nordic Optical
Telescope (NOT) and Tartu Observatory, report that 5-min R- and V-band
exposures obtained on Jan. 14.945-14.985 UT in very good (0".6) seeing with
the 2.5-m NOT (+ ALFOSC) shows the presence of an asteroidal object 2" east
of (and moving at the same rate as) the uncondensed "dust swarm" of P/2010
A2, which itself is 4' long and about 5" wide (177000 and 3700 km,
respectively, at the comet's distance) in p.a. 277 deg.  Licandro adds that
these observations suggest a connection between the asteroidal object and
the dust swarm; a short-lived event, such as a collision, may have produced
the observed dust ejecta.  Together with A. Cabrera-Lavers and G. Gomez, IAC
and Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC) Project Office, Licandro further writes
that a series of fifty-four 30-s images obtained on Jan. 16.070-16.133 with
the 10.4-m GTC (+ OSIRIS + g, r, and i Sloan filters) again shows the
asteroidal object about 2" to the east of the comet.
     R. Haver and A. Caradossi, Frasso Sabino, Italy, report that the comet
appears as a tail 1'.8 long in p.a. 278 deg on Jan. 15.95 UT on CCD images
taken with a 0.37-m f/6.8 Cassegrain telescope; on Jan. 16.90, the tail
appeared longer (2'.7 in p.a. 276 deg).  No condensation was visible with
this small an instrument.  L. Buzzi, Varese, Italy, notes a 240" tail in
p.a. 279 deg on stacked CCD images (totally 35 min of exposure; limiting
mag 21.5) taken on Jan. 16.04-16.11 with a 0.60-m f/4.6 reflector.

COMET C/2010 B1 (CARDINAL)
     An object discovered by R. D. Cardinal (Rothney Astrophysical Observatory,
University of Calgary, 0.50-m f/1.0 reflector; discovery observation below)
and placed on the NEO Confirmation Page has been reported as cometary by
several observers.  Y. Ikari (Moriyama, Shiga-Ken, Japan, 0.26-m f/7.0
reflector) notes that some of his exposures on Jan. 22.6 UT showed a coma of
diameter 0'.2.  D. Chestnov writes that three stacked exposures on Jan. 22.8
by T. Kryachko (Engelhardt Observatory, Zelenchukskaya Station, 0.3-m f/7
reflector) showed that the object appeared "softer" than the surrounding stars
(FWHM 3".8 for the object, 3".1 for the stars), having a 0'.1-0'.2 coma with a
strong condensation but no tail.  J. M. Aymami (Tiana, Spain, 0.25-m f/4.3
Schmidt-Cassegrain) remarks that 39 co-added images totaling 3900 seconds
around Jan. 22.9 showed a compact but nebulous object displaying what seemed to
be a faint coma measuring 7".5.  L. Buzzi (Varese, Italy, 0.38-m f/6.8
reflector) writes that a quite deep (limiting magnitude 20.5) stacked image
totaling 25 minutes around Jan. 23.9 in very good seeing (but with thin, high
clouds) showed the object to be stellar in appearance, although inspection of
its profile revealed a FWHM some 20-25 percent larger than nearby stars of
similar brightness.

COMET P/2010 A2 (LINEAR)
     Z. Sekanina, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, writes that the
orientations of the tail of this comet reported from the
observations made between Jan. 7 and 16 (IAUC 9105, 9109; CBET 2134)
suggest its formation between January and August 2009.  Because of
the edge-on projection (with the earth only 2 to 3 degrees below
the comet's orbital plane) it is not possible to decide whether the
tail is a product of one or more brief emission events or
continuous activity over a period of time.  From the tail's length,
the maximum solar radiation pressure acceleration exerted on the
dust is estimated at about 0.1 percent of the solar gravitational
acceleration, which implies that the smallest dust particles in the
tail are about 1 mm in diameter (at an assumed density of 1 g/cm^3).
From the width of the tail, a lower limit on the normal component
of the particle velocity is about 0.1 m/s.  An improved estimate
can be determined from the tail width around the time of the
earth's crossing the orbital plane on 2010 Feb. 9.

URSID METEORS 2009
     P. Jenniskens, SETI Institute, reports significant Ursid shower activity
over normal annual rates over the period 2009 Dec. 22d00h-22d15h UT.  Pierre
Martin at Ottawa, Canada, reported seeing a -5 magnitude Ursid at 6h00m UT,
which left a 15-s persistent train.  Visual observations starting at 7h30m UT
gave apparent rates of 10-15 Ursids/hr under 6.3-magnitude skies.  Both Ilkka
Yrjola at Kuusankoski, Finland, and Esko Lyytinen at Helsinki, Finland,
measured elevated rates using the technique of meteor forward scattering.
From their data, the outburst peaked at Dec. 22d09h +/- 0.5 hr UT (solar
longitude = 270.51 +/- 0.02 deg, equinox 2000.0), with a full-width-at-half-
maximum of 6 +/- 1 hr.  The shower was rich in overdense echoes.  The
outburst was due to the 'filament' dust component of comet 8P/Tuttle, the
encounter of which was predicted at Dec. 22d06h UT with FWHM = 8.2 hr
(Jenniskens 2006, *Meteor Showers and their Parent Comets*, p. 645).