IAU circular No. 9133, issued on 2010, April 06, announces the discovery by A. Boattini of a new comet on Apr. 05, 2010, with the 0.68-m Schmidt telescope in the course of the Catalina Sky Survey. After posting on the Minor Planet Center's NEOCP webpage, many observers have commented on the cometary appearance of this 14 magnitude object, designated C/2010 G1 (BOATTINI).
The object described by the discoverer as diffuse with a strong, condensed coma about 40" in size, and a fainter coma out to a diameter about 2' that fades into the background; the coma is slightly elongated in p.a. 50-55 deg.
Discovery image (4x20seconds exposures):
(Credit: A. Boattini - CSS Survey)
The first and preliminary parabolic orbit for comet C/2010 G1 (BOATTINI) indicates perihelion on Apr. 06, 2010, at about 1.20 AU.
This is the 87th comet for the Catalina Sky Survey and the 13th for Andrea Boattini.
by Ernesto Guido
Great image
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