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
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