[BAA-ebulletin 00884] Comet Section

[BAA electronic bulletins service]

At the AGM later today I retire as Director of the Comet Section, having served 
since 1990.  Whilst this is a long period, it doesn't quite match the record of 
Dr A C D Crommelin who was Director from 1897 to 1901 and again from 1907 to 
1939.  I am handing over to Nick James, but have agreed to continue as 
visual co-ordinator.  Do continue to send me your visual observations and 
visual equivalent electronic observations, ideally in the standard ICQ format. 
You can easily generate exactly the right format by entering your observations 
into the COBS database at http://www.cobs.si/

Although there are no bright comets currently visible from the UK, there are a 
few telescopic objects that should be observable once the moon leaves the sky 
in a few days time.  Looking further ahead, 2013 US10 (Catalina) is still on 
track to reach around 5th or 6th magnitude in December and January.  It is 
currently too close to the Sun for observation, though might be seen in SOHO 
images in early November.  It emerges from conjunction later in the month, and 
is initially an early morning object.  It quickly moves north and gets into the 
evening sky in the New Year.  It should remain within binocular range into 
March.

All the latest observing information will continue to be placed on my web page 
at http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/~jds/ though some items will no longer be updated. 
The list of currently observable comets will continue as many other groups use 
this, and it links to the charts and ephemerides available from the Computing 
Section web page.

Jonathan Shanklin
Director, Comet Section