New Comet: C/2016 E2 (Kowalski)

March 18, 2016
CBET nr. 4266, issued on 2016, March 16, announces the discovery of a comet (magnitude ~18) by R. A. Kowalski on CCD images obtained with the 0.68-m Schmidt telescope in the course of the Catalina Sky Survey on Mar. 15.44-15.46 UT. The new comet has been designated C/2016 E2 (Kowalski).

We performed follow-up measurements of this object, while it was still on the neocp. Stacking of 65 unfiltered exposures, 15 seconds each, obtained remotely on 2016, March 16.3 from H06 (iTelescope network - New Mexico) through a 0.25-m f/3.4 reflector + CCD, shows that this object is a comet with a diffuse irregular coma nearly 10 arcsec in diameter.

M.P.E.C. 2016-F03  assigns the following preliminary parabolic orbital elements to comet C/2016 E2: T 2016 Feb. 6.70; e= 1.0; Peri. =  322.01; q = 1.07;  Incl.= 136.00

This comet will have a close approach with Earth at about 114 LD (Lunar Distances = ~384,000 kilometers) or 0.2920 AU (1 AU = ~150 million kilometers) on March 17, 2016 at 06:41 UT (it passed perihelion on Feb. 06, 2016 at 1.075 AU). Comet C/2016 E2 will fade in the coming days as its distance from both the Earth and Sun increase.

by Ernesto Guido & Nick Howes

Source:
http://remanzacco.blogspot.com/2016/03/new-comet-c2016-e2-kowalski.html