Discovery
D. J. Martinoff (Engelhardt Observatory, Kazan, Russia) found this "comet-like object" on two plates exposed for P/Brooks 2 on 1946 October 6.92. He estimated the magnitude as 13 and described it as diffuse, without a condensation. The daily motion was -23s in right ascension and +22' in declination. The object was not found on the plates until the end of October, and Martinoff said it could not be verified because of bad weather.
Positions
Analysis
Martinoff requested verification on November 1. On November 5 and 6, H. L. Giclas (Lowell Observatory, Arizona, USA) used the 33-cm photographic telescope to search for this object. Two photographic plates covering an area of 160 square degrees were exposed. The first was centered 2° north of P/Brooks 2 and possessed a limiting magnitude of 14, while the second was centered on a declination of +25° and possessed a limiting magnitude of 16. No comet-like objects were found, although 24 asteroids were located, the faintest being magnitude 14.2. L. Oterma (Turku, Finland) examined a photographic plate she had exposed for P/Brooks 2 on October 4, but did not find Martinoff's object..
Sources:
IAU Circular, No. 1067 (1946 Nov. 4)
IAU Circular, No. 1072 (1946 Dec. 11)
IAU Circular, No. 1076 (1947 Jan. 3)
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