New Comet C/2008 G1 (GIBBS)

IAUC nr. 8932, issued on 2008, April 9, announces the discovery of a new comet by A. R. Gibbs: C/2008 G1 (GIBBS); it was found through the 1.5-m reflector + CCD of the Mt. Lemmon Survey on 2008, April 7.36 while it was slowly moving in Serpens.

After its posting on the NEO-Confirmation Page as target "8GA7420", we performed some follow-up of this object from Remanzacco Observatory (MPC #473) and, remotely, through the Mayhill (NM) station of the "Rent A Scope" network. The best image was that obtained from Remanzacco (see below):

In our stackings from both sites, "8GA7420" showed its cometary nature, with a small coma, some 8 to 10 arcsec in diameter, and a short tail, 15 to 20 arcsec long toward South-SouthWest. The total magnitude m1 has been calculated as R~19.1, while the nuclear magnitude m2 was R~19.5. Preliminary orbital parameters published by the Minor Planet Center show that this comet moves along a parabolic orbit (e=1, i=72 deg, q= 3.7 AU). It will reach perihelion on February 2009. This comet will be mostly a northern object, and it's not supposed to get any brighter than magnitude 18.

by Ernesto Guido & Giovanni Sostero