Archives for Август 2011

During August 25th-26th observation, observer Leonid Elenin (ISON-NM observatory) using CoLiTec software, discovered a new asteroid with provisional orbit’s parameters close to short-period comets, although the comet’s activity was not observed. You could see electronic circular of MPC dedicated to the discovery of this object, called 2011 QD23. Our compliments Leonid, we wish you to make other interesting discoveries!

Approaching the Earth, Comet Elenin permits now more observations from professional and amateur observatories.

End of July: James Clerk Maxwell’s 15-m submillimeter telescope discovered hydrocyanic acid in the present comet’s spectrum.

Michael Mattiazzo (Italian amateur astronomer) estimated the Comet’s coma size to be 213 500 км, that perfectly matches the data received while Comet Elenin observation by space observatory STEREO-B.

Terry Lovejoy (Australian amateur astronomer) made pictures with a clearly observed long (about 3 millions km.) comet’s ionic tail.

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The comet Elenin is the most observed long-period comet in CCD-observation’s history. The big quantity of observations permits to update the forecast of the comet C/2010 X1 (Elenin) apparent brightness. One of the leading specialist in this sphere is Artem Novichonok (well-known specialist in comets’ photometry, co-manager of the “Asterion” observatory(МРС-код В94) (Petrozavodsk National University), author of a book on the Comet Elenin).

Artem was so kind to provide the latest data on comet C/2010 X1(Elenin) apparent brightness (May 17, 2011)

The forecast will be updated together with new observations.

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MPC monthly circular MPC  75551- 75798 (http://www.minorplanetcenter.net/iau/ECS/MPCArchive/2011/MPC_20110813.pdf).– Observation results of observatories using CoLiTec software (July 16, 2011 – August 13, 2011):

Discovery of 3 asteroids, that makes 478 asteroids’ discoveries and two comet discoveries with CoLiTec software application.

August 1, 2011 – start to receive images of the comet С/2010 Х1 (Elenin), first comet discovered using CoLiTec (CLT) software (December 10, 2010), with space telescope STEREO-B equipment. The comet’s discoverer Leonid Elenin placed this information on his blog (http://spaceobs.org/ru/2011/08/03/pervye-snimki-komety-elenina-so-stereo-b/). The satellite was turned for 135 degrees July, 31 for better comet observation ( http://spaceobs.org/ru/2011/07/28/the-test-roll-was-succesful-lets-wait-for-august-1/). Given period of observation corresponds to the closest approach of comet and space telescope (http://spaceobs.org/ru/2011/07/31/5-hours-to-closest-approach/ )(7 400 196 km).

Based on the current observation results, the size of comet’s coma is estimated to be 200 000 km (http://spaceobs.org/ru/2011/08/04/diameter-of-coma-of-comet-elenin-exceeded-200000-km/), with permanent estimation of comet nucleus size, that is several kilometers.

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