Tuesday, April 13, 2010

New Comet: C/2010 G2 (HILL)

IAU circular No. 9134, issued on 2010, April 11, announces the discovery by R. E. Hill of a new comet on Apr. 10, 2010, in the course of the Catalina Sky Survey. After posting on the Minor Planet Center's NEOCP webpage, many observers have noted the cometary appearance of this 19.5 magnitude object, designated C/2010 G2 (HILL).

We have been able to confirm this object remotely, through the GRAS network, using a scope located in Mayhill (NM): on 2010, April 11.3, co-adding of 18 unfiltered exposures, 120-seconds each obtained by means of a 0.25-m, f/3.4 reflector + CCD, show a diffuse coma 10-arcsec in diameter.

Our confirming image:



The first and preliminary orbit for comet C/2010 G2 (Hill) indicates perihelion Jun. 19, 2011, at about 1.3 AU. The comet might reach 11m or brighter.

According to COCD, this is the 88th comet for the Catalina Sky Survey and the 22nd for Hill.

by Ernesto Guido & Giovanni Sostero

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