New Comet C/2020 K3 (Leonard)

CBET 4782 & MPEC 2020-K159, issued on 2020, May 25, announce the discovery of a comet (magnitude ~18) by G. J. Leonard on images taken on May 22 UT with the Catalina Sky Survey's 0.68-m Schmidt reflector. The new comet has been designated C/2020 K3 (Leonard).

We performed follow-up measurements of this object while it was still on the PCCP webpage.

Stacking of 20 unfiltered exposures, 55 seconds each, obtained remotely on 2020, May 23.4 from H06 (iTelescope network)  through a 0.50-m f/6.8 reflector + CCD + f/4.5 focal reducer, shows that this object is a comet with a diffuse irregular coma about 15" in diameter.

Our confirmation image (click here for a bigger version)

MPEC 2020-K159, assigns the following preliminary parabolic orbital elements to comet C/2020 K3 (Leonard): T 2020 June 01.00; e= 1.0; Peri. =  64.49; q = 1.58;  Incl.= 129.01

By Ernesto Guido & Adriano Valvasori

New Comet P/2019 LM4 (Palomar)

CBET 4775 & MPEC 2020-J68, issued on 2020, May 14, announce that an apparently asteroidal object discovered on images taken at Palomar on 2019 June 4 and 7 with the 1.2-m f/2.4 Schmidt telescope (and given the minor-planet designation 2019 LM_4 when published on MPS 1001527, along with observations made elsewhere on June 8) has been re-discovered showing cometary appearance at two other observatories. The new comet has been designated P/2019 LM4 (Palomar).

According to the CBET 4775: B. Li reported the discovery by G. Zhaori of an extended object on images taken by L. F. Hu with the 1.04-m f/1.8 Schmidt telescope at the XuYi Station of Purple Mountain Observatory on May 11 UT in the course of the "Chinese Near Earth Object Survey" (discovery observations tabulated below).  Before the object was posted on the Minor Planet Center's NEOCP webpage, it wasdiscovered independently in images obtained with the Pan-STARRS1 1.8-m Ritchey-Chretien reflector at Haleakala on May 12, with Y. Ramanjooloo (University of Hawaii) reporting that the full-width-at-half-maximum size was 3".6 compared to 1".2 for nearby stars.  Observations were subsequently identified at the Minor Planet of yet another apparent independent discovery of the comet from 2020 May 9.5 at mag 16.4-17.0 with a 0.5-m f/2 Schmidt reflector at Haleakala, Hawaii, in the course of the "Asteroid Terrestrial- Impact Last Alert System" (ATLAS) search program, though it appears that the ATLAS team did not report it as a comet.

We performed follow-up measurements of this object while it was still on the PCCP webpage.

Stacking of 14 unfiltered exposures, 120 seconds each, obtained remotely on 2020, May 13.2 from X02 (Telescope Live, Chile) through a 0.6-m f/6.5 astrograph + CCD, shows that this object is a comet with a compact round coma about 15" in diameter (Observers E. Guido, M. Rocchetto, E. Bryssinck, M. Fulle, G. Milani, C. Nassef, G. Savini).

Stacking of 16 unfiltered exposures, 60 seconds each, obtained remotely on 2020, May 13.4 from H06 (iTelescope, New Mexico) through a 0.50-m f/4.5 astrograph + CCD, shows that this object is a comet with a compact coma about 12" in diameter (Observers A. Valvasori & E. Guido).

Our confirmation images (click here for a bigger version)

(click here for a bigger version)

MPEC 2020-J68, assigns the following elliptical elements to comet P/2019 LM4 (Palomar): T 2019 June 18.24; e= 0.58; Peri. =  68.37; q = 2.37;  Incl.= 36.39

by Ernesto Guido

New Comet C/2020 J1 (SONEAR)

CBET 4769 & MPEC 2020-J37, issued on 2020, May 04, announce the discovery of a comet (magnitude ~17) on images taken with a 0.28-m f/2.2 astrograph of the "Southern Observatory for Near Earth Research" (SONEAR) at Oliveira, Brazil, on May 1 . The new comet has been designated C/2020 J1 (SONEAR).

We performed follow-up measurements of this object while it was still on the PCCP webpage.

Stacking of 8 unfiltered exposures, 90 seconds each, obtained remotely on 2020, May 04.3 from X02 (Telescope Live, Chile) through a 0.6-m f/6.5 astrograph + CCD, shows that this object is a comet with a compact coma about 5" in diameter.

Our confirmation image (click here for a bigger version)

MPEC 2020-J37, assigns the following preliminary parabolic orbital elements to comet C/2020 J1 (SONEAR): T 2021 Apr. 15.73; e= 1.0; Peri. =  344.44; q = 3.25;  Incl.= 142.16

By Ernesto Guido & Adriano Valvasori

New Comet C/2020 H6 (ATLAS)

CBET 4768 & MPEC 2020-J23, issued on 2020, May 03, announce the discovery of a comet (magnitude ~18.5) on individual images from taken on Apr. 22 UT with a 0.5-m f/2 Schmidt reflector at Haleakala, Hawaii, in the course of the "Asteroid Terrestrial-Impact Last Alert System" (ATLAS) search program. The new comet has been designated C/2020 H6 (ATLAS).

We performed follow-up measurements of this object while it was still on the PCCP webpage.

Stacking of 10 unfiltered exposures, 120 seconds each, obtained remotely on 2020, April 28.4 from Q62 (iTelescope network) through a 0.50-m f/6.8 astrograph + CCD + focal reducer, shows that this object is a comet with a compact coma about 10" in diameter slightly elongated toward PA 330.

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

 

MPEC 2020-J23, assigns the following preliminary parabolic orbital elements to comet C/2020 H6 (ATLAS): T 2021 Oct. 1.29; e= 1.0; Peri. =  20.53; q = 4.68;  Incl.= 79.83

by Ernesto Guido & Adriano Valvasori