Reports from Geisei Observatory <September 13, 2007>

Reminiscence of Comet Crommelin and past data

    Comet Crommelin was an unforgettable comet. It was the first comet I independently discovered as a comet hunter in 1956 . I remember I pedaled furiously along the streets to the telegraph office through the chilly autumn air at dawn.

    I discovered this comet at 4 am near the radiant of the Leonid Meteor shower. It was at 10th magnitude. When 28 years had passed and the comet returned, I greeted it with Geisei's 60cm reflector.

    The following are unpublished results of my observations of the comet:

  27P/Crommelin                                        
1984UT           R.A.�i2000.0�jDecl.       m1          
Feb.20.42861  01 04 39.48  +00 23 00.6     9.0      372
    29.42326  01 55 40.33  -03 07 14.7              372
    29.42743  01 55 41.86  -03 07 21.7     8.5      372
    29.44514  01 55 48.04  -03 07 48.8              372
Mar.26.44063  04 39 15.54  -14 42 36.1    15.0      372

    The above results are not necessarily good, because in those days I was using the SAO catalog which included only a limited number of stars. I remeasured the images of the comet. In about 4 years the comet will return for the third time. I am curious how it will appear and how bright it will become on its return.

    The results of these old observations haven't been sent to MPC, but I hope they are of some use to Japanese observers who do orbit calculations. I will continue to work on the past images, which haven't been measured yet.