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Is The 46P/Wirtanen Mag 8.8 Data Accurate? (Answer: No, This Is An Error In The Minor Planet Center Data)

Dec 11 database update gave current mag of 3.8.

Update this evening, Dec 17 now had mag 8.8 under the INFO button.

Why the big change — error in database? 

 

Don

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3 comments

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    Andreas Schnabel

    The MPC gives a absolute magnitude of 14 mag and a slope parameter of 15 (6*2,5) for the comet. These parameters are absolutly wrong for the current observations. What is the reason for this? I don't know.

    Via Seiichi Yoshida Homepage and the yahoo comets mailing list the true parameters are: 

     m1 =  8.0 + 5 log d + 27.0 log r(t - 12)  [-150, 180]  (2018 July 15 - 2019 June 10)
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    Bill Tschumy

    Yes it is frustrating that this is wrong but it is an error in the Minor Planet Center data.  If you generate an ephemeris there you will get the same wrong magnitude.  At least the position is accurate.

  • 0
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    Donald Horne

    Thank you.

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