[BAA Comets] Recovery of P/2010 V1 (Ikeya-Murakami)

[Nick James]

This comet, which was discovered in 2010, was predicted to reach 10th 
magnitude around now but, until yesterday, there was no sign of it.

CBET 4230 reports that the comet has finally been recovered by PanSTARRS 
on December 31 at around mag 20.8. The new object was originally 
designated P/2015 Y2 but was soon linked to P/2010 V1 with a perihelion 
7.2 days later than expected. CFHT images show a second object 92" E, 
44" S of the main fragment. It is probable that the comet fragmented at 
the 2010 return following an outburst.

http://www.cbat.eps.harvard.edu/iau/cbet/004200/CBET004230.txt

I managed to get an image of both components from Chelmsford tonight:

http://www.nickdjames.com/Comets/2016/2010v1_20160103_2233_ndj.jpg

They are very faint but both move in the correct direction relative to 
the stars when I blink the stacks. The main component is around mag 19 
in R. These are probably some of the faintest cometary objects that I 
have ever observed from Chelmsford.

Nick.