[BAA Comets] First outburst of Comet 29P in 2015

[Richard Miles]

Confirmed in LCOGT images taken from South Africa and from Chile:
http://britastro.org/asteroids/29P_2015Feb3-4_thumbnails.jpg

R Magnitude measured at 13.85 +/-0.04 in a 7.5 arcsec diameter aperture.

Richard Miles
BAA

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Richard Miles" <rmiles.btee at btinternet.com>
To: <comets-ml at yahoogroups.com>; <asvcometsection at yahoogroups.com>; "BAA 
Comets discussion list" <comets-disc at britastro.org>
Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2015 11:53 PM
Subject: [BAA Comets] First outburst of Comet 29P in 2015


> Three images I scheduled taken of Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann earlier 
> today (February 03.76) using the LCOGT network at Siding Spring appear to 
> show that this comet is now in outburst.
>
> I have temporarily posted an image depicting the possible outburst, 
> alongside one from the ESO Digital Sky Survey for the same area of sky, 
> here:
> http://britastro.org/asteroids/29P_2015Feb3_outburst.png
>
> Jean-Francois Soulier has been monitoring 29P during the start of this new 
> apparition beginning on January 11. His results indicate that the comet 
> has not outburst between the start of 2015 and the time of his most recent 
> frame taken from SpaceObs, San Pedro de Atacama, Chile, namely 2015 
> February 02.39 when the comet was roughly magnitude 17-18.
>
> The last observed outburst of 29P took place on 2014 October 20. Grateful 
> if observers can confirm this possible outburst. Those located in the 
> southern hemisphere will be best placed given that the comet is now at 
> Declination -30 degrees. Its elongation is only 51 degrees visible in the 
> pre-dawn sky. The image referred to above is taken from a preview jpeg and 
> so it is difficult to judge the brightness of this possible outburst. My 
> estimate is brighter than R=15. How much brighter I cannot yet determine.
>
> Clear Skies,
>
> Richard Miles
> BAA