Confirmation of cometary features of newly discovered bodies

M. Tichy, J. Ticha, and M. Kocer
Klet' Observatory, Zatkovo nabrezi 4
CZ-370 01 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic

Abstract.

The majority of new ground-based discoveries of comets comes from large surveys devoted predominantly on Near Earth Asteroids. The first step in distinguishing these newly discovered members of population of cometary bodies consists in confirmatory astrometric observation and along with in detection of their cometary features. Although both amateur and professional stations take part in such confimatory observations, only some of them do a preliminary analysis of cometary activity of a particular newly discovered body. A timely recognition of cometary features of a particular body having an unusual orbit can help in planning further observing campaigns.

One of main goals of The Klet Observatory NEO astrometric follow-up programe consists just in an analysis of possible cometary activity of newly discovered unusual bodies. We mention several examples (comets C/1999 S4 (LINEAR), C/2001 A2(LINEAR) and so on). We also mention an extension of our programme to fainter objects with finishing a new 1-m telescope at the Klet Observatory.

Presented on IAU Colloquium No.186: COMETARY SCIENCE AFTER HALE-BOPP, Jan.21-25, 2002.
Published: Earth, Moon, and Planets, 90 (1-4), pp.507-513, 2002.
Reprinted: Cometary Science after Hale-Bopp, Proceedings of IAU Colloquium 186 (Eds. H. Boenhardt, M. Combi, M.R. Kidger and R. Schulz), pp.507-513, Kluwer 2002
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