C/2002 Y1 (Juels-Holvorcem)

C/2002 Y1 (Juels-Holvorcem) was discovered on 2002 December 28th on CCD images taken with a 0.12-m f/5.0 refractor by Charles W. Juels (Fountain Hills, AZ) and Paulo R. Holvorcem (Campinas, Brazil) who were observing together in Arizona. The comet was magnitude 15.1 at discovery.

The initial orbit based on 17 observations made between December 28th and 29th showed that this was an object that would reach perihelion on April 10th 2003 at 0.67AU (inside the orbit of Venus). The latest orbit, based on data to January 25th 2003 shows that the comet will actually have its perihelion at 0.715AU on April 19th 2003. Although the comet is rather small, the circumstances of the apparition are quite favourable and the comet should reach magnitude 6 in April 2003 as it haas been brightening consistently rapidly and even within the Earth's orbit has followed a better than 5th-power law.

 

The light curve

GThe comet will continue to brighten rapidly until shortly before perihelion and perigee. The maximum will be brief and the comet will fade again rapidly after perihelion.

The CCD observations in a 10" aperture show a rather rapid rate of brightening.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CCD observations in R in a 10 arcsecond aperture by:

CCD aperture photometry in an aperture of 10", 20", 30", 40", 1'.0 and 1'.6 by:

Total visual magnitude estimates by:

 

 

 

Coma profile: January 24th 2003

Profile of the coma of C/2002 Y1 (Juels-Holvorcem).

Obtained by CCD photometry with apertures of 10, 20, 30, 40 and 60 arcseconds.

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Ramón Naves & Montse Campàs
MPC 213, OBSERVATORIO MONTCABRER CABRILS (SPAIN)
 

 

 

 


Última actualización 31/05/2003
Por M.R.Kidger