New Comet
© Masayuki IwamotoDiscovery image taken by Masayuki Iwamoto on 5h 39m JST, Jan. 9, 2020.
A Japanese amateur astronomer has discovered a new comet.

Masayuki Iwamoto of Tokushima Prefecture discovered a new celestial object low in the eastern sky in the dawn on January 9, 2020 (JST) and communicated it to the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan's window for reports of new astronomical objects. On January 13 (UTC), this object was independently discovered by Gennady Borisov in Crimea. Through analysis of confirmation observations by other observers, this object was determined to be a comet.

The orbit, designation, and name of the new comet will be announced later.

This is Iwamoto's fourth discovered comet; the others were discovered in rapid succession in November and December of 2018. Japanese amateur astronomers are making great contributions to Astronomy.