Wednesday, January 2, 2013

New Comet: C/2012 Y3 (MCNAUGHT)

Cbet nr. 3367, issued on 2013, January 01, announces the discovery of a new comet (discovery magnitude 15.2) by the E12 Siding Spring Survey on images obtained with the 0.5-m Uppsala Schmidt + CCD on December 30.6. The new comet has been designated C/2012 Y3 (MCNAUGHT).

We performed some follow-up measurements of this object, while it was still on the neocp. Stacking of 19 unfiltered exposures, 30-sec each,obtained remotely,from Q62 (iTelescope Observatory, Siding Spring) on 2013, Jan. 01.46, through a 0.32-m f/9.0 Ritchey-Chretien + CCD shows that this object is a comet: coma about 10" in diameter with a fan-shaped tail elongated in PA 85.


Our confirmation image (click on the image for a bigger version):


M.P.E.C. 2013-A03 assigns the following preliminary parabolic orbital elements to comet C/2012 Y3: T 2012 Aug. 26.59; e= 1.0; Peri. = 236.15; q = 1.78 AU; Incl.= 73.90.

by Ernesto Guido & Nick Howes

No comments: