Details
- Details of the discovery, observations and analyses of new comets which
were discovered during
1995 ,
1996 ,
1997 ,
1998 ,
1999 ,
2000 ,
2001 ,
2002 ,
2003 ,
2004 ,
2005 ,
2006 ,
2007 ,
2008 ,
2009 ,
2010 ,
2011 ,
2012 ,
2013 ,
2014 ,
2015 ,
2016 ,
2017 [updated 2021 October 2],
2018 ,
2019 [updated 2021 May 15] ,
2020 [updated 2021 August 5] ,
2021 [updated 2021 October 20]
.
Note that in general only details of brighter currently visually observable comets are
updated and that analyses of the brighter comets of past years will be published in the BAA Journal.
- Details, observations and analyses of periodic comets numbered
1 - 100 [updated 2021 October 18],
101 - 199 [updated 2021 August 14],
200 - 299 [updated 2021 August 16],
300 - 399 [updated 2021 March 22],
400 - 499 [updated 2021 October 10]
and
cometary asteroids, potentially numberable comets and periodic SOHO comets
[updated 2021 October 1].
- A list of SOHO comets discovered during 2000 , 2001 , 2002 , 2003 , 2004 , 2005 , 2006 , 2007 , 2008 , 2009 , 2010 , 2011 , 2012 , 2013 , 2014 , 2015 , 2016 , 2017 , 2018 , 2019 , 2020 , 2021 [updated 2021 October 19] and SOHO X/ comets.
- A list of SOHO comets discovered during 2000 , 2001 , 2002 , 2003 , 2004 , 2005 , 2006 , 2007 , 2008 , 2009 , 2010 , 2011 , 2012 , 2013 , 2014 , 2015 , 2016 , 2017 , 2018 , 2019 , 2020 , 2021 [updated 2021 October 19] and SOHO X/ comets.
- Observations submitted in ICQ format for comets of
2006 , 2007 ,
2008 , 2009 ,
2010 , 2011 ,
2012 , 2013 ,
2014 , 2015 ,
2016 , 2017 ,
2018 , 2019 ,
2020 [updated 2021 August 3] and 2021 [updated 2021
October 2].
Observations submitted or published in ICQ.
Observations in COBS.
-
Light curves of comets that may become brighter than 10th magnitude (aperture corrected for potential naked eye comets) [click on thumbnail to get the full scale image, updated on 2021 October 2]. The dotted lines represent 99% confidence limits. 2017 K2.
-
-
Comet magnitude parameters [ updated 2021 October 2].
- Full IAUC details of SOHO Kreutz group and other comets announced during 2000 , 2001 , 2002 , 2003 , 2004 , 2005 , 2006 , 2007 , 2008 , 2009 .
- General information on Kreutz and sun approaching comets [updated 2021 March 22], on LASCO, STEREO and the Kreutz comets and a list of all SOHO comets [updated 2016 June 2].
- Daily news from 1999 / 2000 / 2001 / 2002 / 2003 / 2004 / 2005 / 2006 / 2007 / 2008 / 2009 / 2010 / 2011 / 2012 / 2013 / 2014 / 2015 / 2016 / 2017 / 2018 / 2019 / 2020 / 2021 /
- Maik Meyer's comet mailing list
- Contact Nick James <ndj [at] nickdjames.com> to be added to the distribution list for the BAA Comet Section electronic discussion forum.
Comet ephemerides (positions) etc
For positions of newly discovered comets see the NEO confirmation page . You can also generate your own ephemerides and elements at the CBAT Minor Planet and Comet Ephemeris Service web page. The elements and ephemerides from the JPL Small-Body Database Browser give estimates of the errors, which are often far larger than might be thought from the accuracy of the elements given by the CBAT. Seiichi Yoshida has pages for currently visible comets, which include finder charts. Seiichi also has a comet rendezvous page, which lists conjunctions between comets, variable stars and nebulae and a comet recovery page, which lists periodic comets not yet recovered at the present return. The T3 project aims to discover comets amongst the population of asteroids influenced by Jupiter.Planning aids and information for forthcoming comets, valid out to about 2025.
- Comets reaching within three degrees of 180° opposition [updated 2013 December 31]
- Comets reaching within three degrees of zero phase angle [updated 2013 December 31]
The MPC also has a list of the last observation for all comets. Electronic observers should try and observe any comets that have not recently been observed according to the CBAT but which are expected to be within range of their equipment. Negative observations are also useful. In addition, the MPC has orbital elements for unusual asteroids, many of which have cometary orbits.
Finder charts
The BAA Computing Section has online charts for the comets listed here. There are daily finder charts for bright comets at Heavens Above. Reinder Bouma and Edwin van Dijk's astrosite Groningen has an excellent set of finder charts for brighter comets, which also show suitable comparison stars.Orbits etc
The elements and ephemerides from the JPL Small-Body Database Browser give estimates of the errors, which are often far larger than might be thought from the accuracy of the elements given by the CBAT. Full details of the latest orbits are available from Kazuo Kinoshita's Comet Orbit Home Page (Kazuo died in July and his web page hadn't been updated since 2020 February). I compile orbital elements in Megastar format for: numbered periodic comets , recent comets (updated 2021 October 8) and comets prior to 2006. Most of the more recent elements include the latest magnitude parameters. The elements are from a mix of CBAT catalogues, MPC, MPEC, JPL and individual orbit computers.Downloads etc
Download Richard Fleet's GraphDark software for graphically displaying comet (and other object) visibility. Latest version is 2.05, 2007 May.
Download William Schwittek's CometWin software for generating comet ephemerides and visibility diagrams. [Updated 2002 March 5]
Download Solex, N-body solar system dynamics software.
Upcoming comets
Predictions for the comets expected to return in 2021 [updated 2021 January 15], 2022 [updated 2021 August 3], 2023 [Updated 2021 July 3] and 2024 [Created 2021 February 3] are published in the BAA Journal in December each year. This list [Updated 2021 October 19] gives the period of visibility and maximum brightness for comets that are predicted to be visible within the next few years. A few are listed further into the future. Seiichi Yoshida also has a list of comets likely to be visible in the next five years.Contributing observations
Observations may be used in the reports on comets which appear on these pages, in The Comet's Tale and in the BAA Journal. Guidance on observing is given in the BAA Comet Observing GuideThanks to the many observers who do send in their observations in ICQ format. Imagers are encouraged to reduce their observations to equivalent visual magnitude (see Project Alcock ) and submit them in this format. Do check the observation files to see if what you sent matches what is there, as I still have to edit some of the submitted records, particularly the position of "m" when tail length is given in minutes, the focal ratio and the designation of periodic comets 1-99. If your observations are missing it may be because you have not used the correct format, which includes ICQ as a key. If you use the Comet Observation Database to enter your observations they will be formatted correctly, but please send them to me for inclusion in TA.
Visual and visual equivalent magnitude observations should be sent to me at <jds [at] ast.cam.ac.uk> in simple text format. Visual observers can use the BAA visual report form to log observations. To avoid the use of multiple formats the ICQ format , which uses special keys to code observation particulars, is now standardised as the one to use for submission and archiving of observations. The ICQ have not updated their observation keys since 2010, so these additional keys are suggested for use when submitting observations to the BAA (updated 2020 October 3). Crni Vhr Observatory has launched the Comet Observation Database which allows entry of observations in ICQ format, and plots of light curves. Visual observations entered using this system should be emailed to me at the end of the month. Observations are usually analysed and sent to TA as soon as possible after the end of the month with a TA deadline of the 2nd; any late observations will be used in subsequent analyses. Observations will continue to be published by Guy Hurst in The Astronomer magazine in TA format. There is also a visual drawing form. The German comet group also has a computer program that will correctly format observations for the ICQ [2009 December].