A list of southern groups and clusters cover a wide range in distance, richness and morphological type that are distributed over the full range of right ascension. However, there was a moving object reported in the evening sky. Initially, this moving object was considered as a minor planet. However, with a given magnitude of about 17 and other technical details such as a 40–minute exposure with a 100 cm Schmidt telescope which showed a tail of about 20 arc seconds, it was confirmed that this object was a comet. Let us discuss further about this comet.
» Magnesium
The comet was discovered in October 1975 at 9.16 by Hans-Emil Schuster, a German astronomer from European Southern Observatory. He worked at the Hamburg Observatory at Bergedorf.
Initially, the comet was thought to be just a ‘moving object’ but Schuster's observations noted that the moving object had an uncertainty. Schuster did manage to note the length of the comets tail during his observations. It was about 20 arc seconds long. After several other observations, it was revealed that the length of the tail was 15 arc seconds.
The magnitude noted was 17.
The perihelion distance noted through initial observations was 1.63 AU. Later, it was revised to 1.628 AU.
The period noted of this comet was 7.47 years.
It was rediscovered in January, 1992 by T. Seki who described the comet as "small and diffuse"
Although the orbit of the comet is relatively stable, it was not seen at its second return, which is unfavourable.
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