C/2012 F6 ＜レモン彗星＞(2013)

A. R. Gibbs (Mount Lemmon Survey, Arizona, USA) reported the discovery of an asteroidal object on images acquired during 2012 March 23.21-23.30. The magnitude was given as 20.6-20.8. A follow-up observation by amateur astronomer Peter Birtwhistle (Great Shefford, Berkshire, England) using a 40-cm reflector and a CCD camera on March 23.9 revealed a diffuse appearance, with a diameter of 5 arc seconds and an extension of 9" toward PA 270 degrees. He gave the magnitude as 20.1. Birtwhistle's follow-up observation on March 25.0 revealed a slightly diffuse object with a coma measuring 9" by 4", with the longest axis toward PA 270 degrees. He said the magnitude was still 20.1.