New Comet: C/2018 N2 (ASASSN)

MPEC 2018-O01, issued on 2018, July 16,  announces the discovery of a comet (magnitude ~16.1) in the course of the "All-Sky Automated Survey for Supernovae" (ASASSN) program, in images taken 2018 July 7-11 with the 14-cm "Cassius" survey telescope at Cerro Tololo. The new comet has been designated C/2018 N2 (ASASSN). 

I performed follow-up measurements of this object, while it was still on the PCCP webpage. Stacking of 10 unfiltered exposures, 60 seconds each, obtained remotely on 2018, July 15.7 from Q62 (iTelescope network) through a 0.43-m f/6.8 astrograph + CCD, shows that this object is a comet with a diffuse coma about 15 arcsec in diameter.

My confirmation image (click on it for a bigger version)

For a different elaboration of this image please click here.

M.P.E.C. 2018-O01 assigns the following preliminary parabolic orbital elements to comet C/2018 N2: T 2019 Oct. 4.09; e= 1.0; Peri. =  23.85; q = 3.00;  Incl.= 78.31

This is the second comet discovered by ASASSN Survey (more info about their first comet are here).

by Ernesto Guido