CBET 4625 & MPEC 2019-J122, issued on 2019, May 12, announce the discovery of a comet (magnitude ~17.5) in the course of the "Mt. Lemmon Survey" (G96), in images taken on 2019, May 04 with a 1.5-m reflector + 10K CCD. This object was reported as a comet by R. A. Kowalski and D. Rankin (G96, May 4). The new comet has been designated C/2019 J1 (Lemmon).
I performed follow-up measurements of this object while it was still on the PCCP webpage. Stacking of 12 unfiltered exposures, 120 seconds each, obtained remotely on 2019, May 06.4 from H06 (iTelescope network) through a 0.25-m f/3.4 reflector + CCD, shows that this object is a comet with a diffuse coma about 10 arcsec in diameter.
My confirmation image (click on it for a bigger version)
M.P.E.C. 2019-J122, assigns the following preliminary orbital elements to comet C/2019 J1: T 2019 Apr. 8.80; e= 0.97; Peri. = 167.59; q = 2.48; Incl.= 24.54
Below you can see an image of comet C/2019 J1 (C0M96K2 was its PCCP provisional designation) taken on 2019, May 05, by its discoverers.
Below you can see an image of comet C/2019 J1 (C0M96K2 was its PCCP provisional designation) taken on 2019, May 05, by its discoverers.
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| Credit: Catalina Sky Survey - Courtesy Kowalski & Rankin |
by Ernesto Guido