C/2003 F1 (LINEAR)

This comet was reported as an asteroid by the LINEAR team on March 23rd 2003. The comet was slightly fainter than magnitude 18. Various observers found the object to be cometary, including Salvador Sánchez and Jaime Nomen al the Observatorio Astronómico de Mallorca. The comet is in a Halley-type orbit with a period of 93.9 years and perihelion at 4.00AU, which will be reached on June 28th 2003.

The light curve

The light curve shows that the comet has been increasing surprisingly rapidly given that it is close to perihelion and has a minimal change in heliocentric distance. This suggests that the comet has switched-on suddenly close to perihelion and that its activity is still growing. At discovery the comet’s absolute magnitude was approximately 8.5 and thus the comet was rather fainter than the average new comet.

 

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CCD observation in a 10 arcsecond aperture by:

  • Isidro Almendros – MPC 212
  • Ramón Naves & Montse Campàs - MPC 213
  • Albert Sánchez – MPC 442
  • Diego Rodríguez – MPC 458
  • Francesc Baldrís - MPC A01
  • Josep Lluís Salto - MPC A02
  • Juan Lacruz – MPC J87

 


Última actualización 12/06/2003
Por M.R.Kidger