Russian amateur astronomer Artyom Novichonok, a student of Petrozavodsk university, has discovered a new comet. These news were reported by a Russian astronomy popularizing website Astronet on Monday.

      The comet has been identified as P/2011 R3 (Novichonok) and its discovery has been already confirmed by the International Astronomical Union.

        Artyom Novichonok tracked down the comet, examining photos made by an automated astronomic observatory station in Kabardino-Balkaria. Novichonok discovered the comet on 6 images taken in September using a 0.4-m Jigit telescope.   After posting on the Minor Planet Center's NEOCP webpage, other CCD astrometrists have also noted cometary appearance in this object.
        Now the comet can be found in the constellation of Cetus.  

        It should be pointed that it is already the third comet's discovery made by Russian professional and amateur astronomers. In December 2010, Leonid Elenin discovered an object C/2010 X1 (Elenin's comet). That comet is expected to maximum approach the Earth in October 2011. At the moment the Elenin's comet is carefully searched by scientisits all over the world. And in July 2011 Leonid Elenin and Igor Molotov discovered another comet which was named P/2011 NO1.

Sources: Lenta.ru RIA Novosti Astronet

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      A New Comet Discovered (13.12.2010)