Flash Periods of 96-38B

Rainer Kracht (R.Kracht@t-online.de)
Sun, 14 Jul 96 17:11 +0100

Flash Periods of 96-38B

I observed 96-38B again on July 13 at 21:24 UTC with FP = 1.381 +/- 0.007 sec.

Observations so far in PPAS format:

96- 38 B 96-07-04 02:18      OO                10
96- 38 B 96-07-04 21:57      PN                 1.5
96- 38 B 96-07-04 21:59:00   RK   67.3 0.3  49  1.37   half period
96- 38 B 96-07-04 22:03      IL                 4      +/- 1
96- 38 B 96-07-05 07:07      TM                 3
96- 38 B 96-07-05 20:35:30   IL                 3
96- 38 B 96-07-06 20:42:29   IL                 2.75   +/- 0.25
96- 38 B 96-07-06 22:10      PN                 2.17   +/- 0.3
96- 38 B 96-07-06 22:12      TC                 4.4    full period
96- 38 B 96-07-07 22:19      LB   76.6      40  1.91
96- 38 B 96-07-08 20:56      IL                 1
96- 38 B 96-07-08 22:25:39   HS                 2.5
96- 38 B 96-07-09 05:56      WC   14.8      10  1.48
96- 38 B 96-07-09 21:02      IL                 1
96- 38 B 96-07-11 21:11:58   RK   36.7 0.1  25  1.47   mag 0 to inv
96- 38 B 96-07-13 21:24:23   RK   41.4 0.2  30  1.38   

HS  Hermann Schnitzler
IL  Igor Lissov
LB  Leo Barhorst
OO  Ohio observer
RK  Rainer Kracht
TC  Tristan Cools
TM  Ted Molczan
WC  Western Canada observer


Using only FP's with tenths of seconds I get:

96- 38 B 96-07-04 21:57      PN                 1.5
96- 38 B 96-07-04 21:59:00   RK   67.3 0.3  49  1.37   half period
96- 38 B 96-07-06 20:42:29   IL                 2.75   +/- 0.25
96- 38 B 96-07-06 22:10      PN                 2.17   +/- 0.3
96- 38 B 96-07-06 22:12      TC                 4.4    full period
96- 38 B 96-07-07 22:19      LB   76.6      40  1.91
96- 38 B 96-07-08 22:25:39   HS                 2.5
96- 38 B 96-07-09 05:56      WC   14.8      10  1.48
96- 38 B 96-07-11 21:11:58   RK   36.7 0.1  25  1.47   mag 0 to inv
96- 38 B 96-07-13 21:24:23   RK   41.4 0.2  30  1.38   

At least three flash periods are visible:
2.75 seconds on July 04/06/13
4.4  seconds on July 06
2.95? seconds on July 9/11 (if 1.48/1.47 is half period)

This flash behaviour reminds me of Halley's comet with its combination
of a 7.1 day rotation and a 3.7 day precession period. Perhaps the
spin axis of 96-38B is rapidly precessing.

 Rainer Kracht  1996 July 14
 R.Kracht@t-online.de
 +9.6626E, +53.7695N, 9m