Comet Ikeya–Murakami

P/2010 V1 (Ikeya–Murakami)
Discovery
Discovered by: Kaoru Ikeya and Shigeki Murakami
Discovery date: November 3, 2010
Orbital characteristics A
Orbital period: 5.29[1]

Comet Ikeya–Murakami (P/2010 V1) is a short-period comet with period of approximately 5.29 years[1] first identified independently by the two Japanese amateur astronomers Kaoru Ikeya and Shigeki Murakami on November 3, 2010.[2][3] Ikeya identified the comet using a 25-cm (10-inch) reflector at 39x, while Murakami used a 46-cm (18-inch) reflector at 78x.[2] Photographic confirmation of the comet was obtained by Ernesto Guido and Giovanni Sostero using a Global-Rent-a-Scope (GRAS) telescope in New Mexico. Both Ikeya and Murakami discovered the comet using manual observation through optical telescopes. Such visual discoveries have become rare in recent years.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b "Elements and Ephemeris for P/2010 V1 (Ikeya–Murakami)". http://scully.cfa.harvard.edu/~cgi/ReturnPrepEph?d=c&o=PK10V010. Retrieved 14 December 2010. 
  2. ^ a b c Sinnott, Roger (2010-11-04). "New Binocular Comet in the Morning Sky". Sky & Telescope. http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/home/106735518.html. Retrieved 2010-11-05. 
  3. ^ "Ikeya–Murakami: The New Comet on the Cosmic Block". NASA. November 17, 2010. http://www.nasa.gov/topics/solarsystem/features/watchtheskies/ikeya.html. Retrieved 14 December 2010.