Updated 2010 December 27
COMET C/2008 A3 (SOHO) Further to IAUC 8923, an additional tiny, very faint (mag about 7.5) comet was found on SOHO website images that is a member of the Marsden group ("discovery" observation tabulated below); according to K. Battams, it may have been "borderline diffuse", and it maintained a very constant brightness level until quite near the end, when it started to fade. R. Kracht suggested the identity of C/2008 A3 with C/2002 R1 (cf. IAUC 7969, MPEC 2002-R57), and B. G. Marsden published a linked orbit on MPEC 2008-B61 that yields T = 1997 Apr. 19.0 for its previous (unobserved) perihelion passage. Comet 2008 UT R.A.(2000)Decl. Inst. F MPEC C/2008 A3 Jan. 15.588 19 52.2 -20 39 C2 RK 2008-B61 COMETS C/2008 D1, C/2008 D2, C/2008 D3, C/2008 D4 (STEREO) K. Battams and K. Baldwin have reported measurements, reduced and analyzed by B. G. Marsden, for four Kreutz-sungrazing comets found on images obtained with NASA's new "Solar-Terrestrial Relations Observatory" (STEREO), which involves two satellites ultimately to be located 45 deg ahead (STEREO-A) and 45 deg behind (STEREO-B) the earth in its orbit. The SECCHI suite of instruments on each satellite contains two coronagraphs ('COR2' having bandpass 650-750 nm and resolution 15"/pixel) and a "Heliospheric Imager" consisting of two telescopes ('HI1' having bandpass 650-750 nm and resolution 35"/pixel). The tabulated "discovery" observations below are given in the same format as used for the SOHO comets (see above); the 'C' under instrumentation denotes the 'COR2' instrument on both STEREO-A and -B, while the 'HI' flag denotes the 'HI1-A' instrument only. C/2008 D1, C/2008 D2, and C/2008 D4 were very faint (mag about 10-11 for the first and third objects, and about 9 for the second) and diffuse. C/2008 D3 was of mag perhaps 7 with a thin, faint tail in HI1-A images, and brighter (mag perhaps 3) with a thin tail in COR2 images; this is the first near-sun comet to have an orbit determined (cf. MPEC 2008-E58) using astrometry from two well-separated spacecraft (now 0.76 AU apart). Comet 2008 UT R.A.(2000)Decl. Inst. F MPEC C/2008 D1 Feb. 16.822 23 43.4 - 5 01 HI AW 2008-E58 C/2008 D2 19.461 23 55.6 - 4 05 HI AW 2008-E58 C/2008 D3 20.294 0 14.0 - 4 49 HI/C AW 2008-E58 C/2008 D4 20.933 23 58.9 - 3 23 HI RK 2008-E58[IAUC 8926, 2008 March 6]
COMET C/2008 F1 (SOHO) Further to IAUC 8926, an additional apparent Meyer-group comet has been found on SOHO website images; first appearing in images as fairly bright (mag about 6) but fading fast, it was elongated in the direction of motion (but not diffuse at all) -- typical for Meyer-group objects. Comet 2008 UT R.A.(2000)Decl. Inst. F MPEC C/2008 F1 Mar. 19.938 0 03.9 + 1 22 C2 RK 2008-F32[IAUC 8932, 2008 April 9]
COMETS C/2008 B1-B4, C/2008 C3-C5, AND C/2008 E4 (SOHO) Further to IAUC 8932, additional apparent comets have been found on SOHO website images; all are Kreutz sungrazers except for C/2008 C3 (no known group) and C/2008 E4 (Kracht group). In the tabulated column below for instrument, an asterisk (*) indicates that astrometry was also measured and reduced from HI1 images aboard the STEREO-A spacecraft. C/2008 B1 was tiny, stellar, and faint (mag about 7). C/2008 B2 reached mag about 6 in H1A and C3 images and was just barely visible with a thin, faint tail in C2 images. C/2008 B3, C/2008 B4, and C/2008 C4 were very faint (mag 7.5), the first and third being slightly diffuse and the second being quite diffuse. C/2008 C3 was stellar in appearance and brightened slowly and gradually, reaching mag about 7 as it left the field-of-view. C/2008 C5 was also stellar in appearance, reaching mag about 6.5. C/2008 E4 is described by K. Battams as "typically [for a Kracht-group object] small, stellar, and faint (maybe peaking at mag 7 as it entered the C2 coronagraph), fading fast as it neared the sun". R. Kracht suggested the identity of the Kracht group comets C/2002 Q8 and C/2008 E4 on the basis of the MPEC 2002-Q46 measurements of the former and his own measurements of the latter; Kracht gave the previous perihelion date T = 1997 Feb. 14.9 but was unable to locate the comet on C2 images from that time. Linked orbital elements (P = 5.52 yr) for 2002 and 2008 by B. G. Marsden appear on MPEC 2008-F32. Comet 2008 UT R.A.(2000)Decl. Inst. F MPEC C/2008 B1 Jan. 26.221 20 46.1 -21 03 C3 HS 2008-G59 C/2008 B2 27.138 21 00.0 -21 43 C3/2* AK 2008-G59 C/2008 B3 28.696 20 57.9 -19 43 C3 HS 2008-G59 C/2008 B4 29.904 21 03.8 -19 33 C3 BZ 2008-G59 C/2008 C3 Feb. 3.146 21 02.9 -18 12 C2 RK 2008-G60 C/2008 C4 3.821 21 22.3 -18 16 C3* HS 2008-G60 C/2008 C5 5.738 21 33.9 -17 30 C3* AK 2008-G60 C/2008 E4 Mar. 3.254 23 02.6 - 5 18 C2 HS 2008-F32[IAUC 8933, 2008 April 10]
COMETS C/2008 C6, C/2008 C7, C/2008 C8, C/2008 C9 (SOHO) Further to IAUC 8933, additional apparent comets have been found on SOHO website images; all are Kreutz sungrazers except for C/2008 C9 (non-group). C/2008 C6 (mag 7.5) and C/2008 C7 (mag 7) were both stellar in appearance. C/2008 C8 reached mag about 5.5 and appeared teardrop-shaped in C3 images, while it was a very faint, thin streak in C2 images. C/2008 C9 was marginally diffuse and very small (mag about 7.5). An asterisk in the instrumentation column below indicates that astrometry was also obtained from STEREO-A/SECCHI HI1 images (see IAUC 8926). Comet 2008 UT R.A.(2000)Decl. Inst. F MPEC C/2008 C6 Feb. 7.696 21 36.9 -16 16 C3* BZ 2008-L18 C/2008 C7 9.196 21 47.1 -16 17 C3* HS 2008-L18 C/2008 C8 14.821 22 17.9 -15 38 C3/2 JS 2008-L18 C/2008 C9 15.063 21 53.3 -11 33 C2 RK 2008-L18[IAUC 8953, 2008 June 14]
COMETS C/2008 D5-D9 (SOHO) Further to IAUC 8953, additional apparent comets have been found on SOHO website images; all are Kreutz sungrazers except for C/2008 D6 (Meyer group) and C/2008 E7 (non-group). C/2008 D5 and C/2008 D7 were small, stellar in appearance, and of mag about 7. C/2008 D6 was elongated but not diffuse (mag about 7). C/2008 D8 was slightly diffuse and very faint (mag 7.5). C/2008 D9 was slightly diffuse and small (mag 7) in C3 images, but very diffuse and very faint in C2 images. An asterisk in the instrumentation column below indicates that astrometry was also obtained from STEREO-A/SECCHI HI1 images (see IAUC 8926). Comet 2008 UT R.A.(2000)Decl. Inst. F MPEC C/2008 D5 Feb. 19.029 22 23.1 -12 41 C3 HS 2008-L19 C/2008 D6 19.171 22 12.8 -10 00 C2 TH 2008-L19 C/2008 D7 25.554 22 51.5 - 9 54 C3* BZ 2008-L19 C/2008 D8 24.554 22 43.7 -10 03 C3* BZ 2008-L26 C/2008 D9 29.238 22 08.4 - 9 00 C3/2* BZ 2008-L26 COMETS C/2008 E5 AND C/2008 E6 (STEREO) Further to IAUC 8926, additional very faint (mag about 11) Kreutz sungrazers have been found on STEREO website images: Comet 2008 UT R.A.(2000)Decl. Inst. F MPEC C/2008 E5 Mar. 5.517 0 54.2 + 1 44 HI AW 2008-K29 C/2008 E6 15.017 1 28.6 + 5 05 HI RK 2008-K29[IAUC 8955, 2008 June 20]
COMETS C/2008 E7-E9, C/2008 G3, AND C/2008 G4 (SOHO) Further to IAUC 8955, additional apparent comets have been found on SOHO website images; all are Kreutz sungrazers except for C/2008 E7 (non-group). C/2008 E8 was small, stellar in appearance, and of mag about 7. C/2008 E7 was visible in C3 images for a day and a half (peaking at mag about 6 around Mar. 5.33 UT) before cutting across the C2 field-of-view and fading out; it was basically stellar in appearance, though it may have been slightly diffuse and marginally elongated (when it was very faint) in C2 images. C/2008 E9 was very faint (mag about 7-7.5) and slightly diffuse in C3 images, and very diffuse and elongated in C2 images. C/2008 G3 was very diffuse and very faint (mag about 8). C/2008 G4 was small, condensed, and teardrop-shaped (mag about 7). Comet 2008 UT R.A.(2000)Decl. Inst. F MPEC C/2008 E7 Mar. 4.638 22 56.0 - 4 27 C3/2 HS 2008-L26 C/2008 E8 7.071 23 30.0 - 6 03 C3* HS 2008-L27 C/2008 E9 12.029 23 45.8 - 3 58 C3/2* BZ 2008-L27 C/2008 G3 Apr. 1.979 0 55.3 + 4 20 C2 HS 2008-L27 C/2008 G4 9.493 1 22.6 + 7 00 C2 MK 2008-L27[IAUC 8956, 2008 June 20]
COMETS C/2008 G5 AND C/2008 G6 (SOHO) Further to IAUC 8956, additional apparent comets have been found on SOHO website images. C/2008 G5 (a Kreutz sungrazer) was very diffuse, very faint (mag 8), and elongated. C/2008 G6, which was small and stellar in appearance (mag about 7.5), was suggested by R. Kracht to be a return of the Kracht-group presumed-comet C/2002 S11 (cf. IAUC 7991), and an orbit by B. G. Marsden on MPEC 2008-L29 links the two apparitions with an orbital period of about 5.54 yr. Comet 2008 UT R.A.(2000)Decl. Inst. F MPEC C/2008 G5 Apr. 10.018 1 24.4 + 7 12 C2 MU 2008-L29 C/2008 G6 12.921 1 31.5 + 9 25 C2 BZ 2008-L29[IAUC 8957, 2008 July 3]
COMETS C/2008 H2-H5 (SOHO) Further to IAUC 8957, additional apparent comets have been found on SOHO website images; all are Kreutz sungrazers except for C/2008 H4 (Meyer group), which was small and elongated but not diffuse (mag about 7.5). C/2008 H2 was stellar in appearance and very faint (mag about 8) but very long-lasting in the SOHO images. C/2008 H3 was teardrop-shaped and quite bright (mag about 6) in C2 images. C/2008 H5 was small with a short tail (mag about 6.5) in C2 images. Comet 2008 UT R.A.(2000)Decl. Inst. F MPEC C/2008 H2 Apr. 16.588 1 47.8 + 9 26 C2 HS 2008-L29 C/2008 H3 16.721 1 52.0 + 9 16 C3/2 RM 2008-L29 C/2008 H4 18.354 1 51.7 +12 32 C2 RK 2008-L47 C/2008 H5 25.513 2 23.3 +11 56 C3/2 HS 2008-L47[IAUC 8960, 2008 July 18]
COMETS C/2008 H6-H9 (SOHO) Further to IAUC 8957 and 8960, additional Kreutz sungrazers have been found on SOHO website images. C/2008 H6 was very faint (mag about 8) and diffuse. C/2008 H7 was very diffuse (mag about 7.5-8) with a faint tail. C/2008 H8 was extremely faint (mag about 8-8.5) and slightly diffuse. C/2008 H9 was tiny and stellar in appearance (mag about 8). Comet 2008 UT R.A.(2000)Decl. Inst. F MPEC C/2008 H6 Apr. 27.188 2 25.7 +12 46 C2 EB 2008-L47 C/2008 H7 29.830 2 35.4 +13 31 C2 MM 2008-L47 C/2008 H8 30.881 2 39.1 +13 50 C2 MK 2008-L47 C/2008 H9 21.688 2 06.3 +11 05 C2 HS 2008-M10[IAUC 8961, 2008 July 28]
COMET C/2008 O1 (SOHO) Further to IAUC 8961, a Kreutz sungrazing comet has been found on SOHO-LASCO coronagraph C3 website images by H. Su (discovery observation tabulated below); according to K. Battams, the object is very small and essentially stellar in appearance with a hint of elongation (mag about 7.5 on July 31.738 UT). Comet 2008 UT R.A.(2000)Decl. Inst. F MPEC C/2008 O1 July 31.596 8 23.2 +16 01 C3 HS 2008-O67 This relatively bright Kreutz fragment might be observable during the total solar eclipse on Aug. 1.39-1.47 near R.A. = 8h38m, Decl. = +16.8 deg (equinox 2000.0). The following very preliminary parabolic orbital elements from 16 observations were published on MPEC 2008-P01, together with two ephemerides to indicate the uncertainty in the predicted position during totality. T = 2008 Aug. 1.68 TT Peri. = 91.48 Node = 11.90 2000.0 q = 0.0042 AU Incl. = 143.38[IAUC 8962, 2008 August 1]
COMETS C/2008 J7-J12 (SOHO) Further to IAUC 8962, additional apparent comets have been found on SOHO website images, all Kreutz sungrazers except for C/2008 J10 and C/2008 J12 (Meyer group); finder code GP = G. Pappa. C/2008 J7 was very small and slightly diffuse (mag 7.5-8). C/2008 J8 was very diffuse and very faint (mag about 8). C/2008 J9 was small and condensed (mag 7-7.5). C/2008 J10 was small and essentially stellar in appearance (mag about 7.5). C/2008 J11 was very small and slightly diffuse (mag about 8). C/2008 J12 was stellar in appearance; in C2 images it was of mag about 6.5, while in C3 it appeared very small and faint. Comet 2008 UT R.A.(2000)Decl. Inst. F MPEC C/2008 J7 May 1.631 2 39.7 +13 50 C2 HS 2008-L48 C/2008 J8 5.038 2 53.8 +14 54 C2 JR 2008-L48 C/2008 J9 5.338 2 55.6 +15 01 C2 MK 2008-L48 C/2008 J10 6.979 3 01.5 +17 34 C2 JR 2008-M10 C/2008 J11 7.588 3 04.3 +15 39 C2 GP 2008-M10 C/2008 J12 7.963 3 05.3 +17 32 C2/3 SY 2008-M10[IAUC 8964, 2008 August 1]
COMETS C/2008 J13-J16, C/2008 K1, C/2008 K2 (SOHO) Further to IAUC 8964, additional Kreutz sungrazers have been found on SOHO website images. Karl Battams notes that C/2008 J13 was slightly diffuse (mag about 6.5) with a short tail. C/2008 J14 was stellar in appearance (mag about 5.5-6) in C3 images, and was bright and teardrop-shaped in C2 images. C/2008 J15 was small and slightly diffuse (mag about 8). C/2008 J16 was extremely faint (mag about 8.5) and very diffuse. C/2008 K1 was tiny and stellar in appearance (mag about 8-8.5). C/2008 K2 was tiny, extremely faint (mag about 8.5), and slightly diffuse. Comet 2008 UT R.A.(2000)Decl. Inst. F MPEC C/2008 J13 May 12.021 3 20.2 +16 41 C2 RK 2008-M11 C/2008 J14 12.971 3 33.9 +15 00 C3/2 RM 2008-M11 C/2008 J15 13.064 3 24.2 +16 54 C2 JR 2008-M11 C/2008 J16 14.379 3 28.6 +17 11 C2 JR 2008-M11 C/2008 K1 17.317 3 39.7 +17 49 C2 MK 2008-M13 C/2008 K2 17.650 3 40.8 +17 52 C2 MK 2008-M13[IAUC 8981, 2008 September 26]
COMETS C/2008 K3-K11 AND C/2008 L4 (SOHO) Further to IAUC 8981, additional near-sun presumed comets have been found on SOHO website images -- all Kreutz sungrazers except for C/2008 K7 (Meyer group), which was tiny, stellar in appearance, and faint (mag about 7.5-8), and C/2008 K10, which was small and stellar in appearance (mag 7-7.5, brightening as it left the C2 field-of-view but never appeared in C3). C/2008 K10 has been identified by R. Kracht with C/1999 X3 (cf. IAUC 8735; not reported until 2006 and being near the limit of visibility in C2 images) and C/2004 E2 (cf. IAUC 8365), an identification confirmed by B. G. Marsden (with linked orbits and residuals published on MPC 2008-S49; for epoch 2008 May 14.0 TT, T = 2008 May 31.334 TT, q = 0.04797 AU, e = 0.98162, Peri. = 353.611 deg, Node = 323.655 deg, i = 6.259 deg, equinox 2000.0); Marsden notes that close approaches occurred to the earth on 2000 Jan. 13 (Delta = 0.058 AU) and Mars on 2004 May 19 (Delta_M = 0.032 AU). K. Battams writes that C/2008 K3 was tiny, extremely faint (mag about 8.5), and stellar in appearance. C/2008 K4 was one of the brightest comets seen by SOHO (saturating slightly in both LASCO cameras, with estimated peak magnitude about 1-2), appearing as a bright teardrop in C3 images and having a partly-forked, "thick" tail about 0.5 long in C2 images; both SECCHI COR cameras also imaged C/2008 K4, with the tail appearing somewhat thinner in the COR2A images and showing the slight "fork" in the COR2B images. C/2008 K5 and C/2008 K7 were tiny and stellar in appearance (mag about 7.5-8). C/2008 K6 was tiny and stellar in appearance (mag about 7) in C3 images, and elongated and very diffuse in C2 images. C/2008 K8 was very diffuse (mag about 8). C/2008 K9 and C/2008 K11 were both small and very diffuse (mag about 8-8.5, the former being perhaps slightly fainter than the latter). C/2008 L4 was small and slightly diffuse (mag about 7-7.5). Comet 2008 UT R.A.(2000)Decl. Inst. F MPEC C/2008 K3 May 17.858 3 41.0 +17 51 C2 MK 2008-M13 C/2008 K4 21.988 4 08.3 +16 12 C3/2 RM 2008-M13 C/2008 K5 23.579 4 02.4 +18 52 C2 MK 2008-M13 C/2008 K6 25.513 4 10.2 +18 08 C3/2 HS 2008-O15 C/2008 K7 25.913 4 13.3 +22 23 C2 JR 2008-O15 C/2008 K8 28.079 4 20.9 +19 43 C2 JR 2008-O15 C/2008 K9 28.704 4 23.1 +19 47 C2 GP 2008-O15 C/2008 K10 30.881 4 27.8 +21 22 C2 RK 2008-O16 C/2008 K11 31.038 4 31.8 +20 05 C2 GS 2008-O16 C/2008 L4 June 2.371 4 39.4 +20 18 C2 MK 2008-O16[IAUC 8982, 2008 September 26]
COMETS C/2008 L5-L8 (SOHO) Further to IAUC 8982, additional near-sun presumed comets have been found on SOHO website images: C/2008 L5 and C/2008 L8 being Kreutz sungrazers, and the other two belonging to the "Kracht II" group -- and suggested by R. Kracht to be returning split components of C/2002 R5 (cf. IAUC 7984), with corresponding two-apparition sets of orbital elements by B. G. Marsden on MPEC 2008-O23. K. Battams writes that C/2008 L5 was small and slightly diffuse (mag about 7.5). C/2008 L6 was stellar in appearance (mag about 6.5). C/2008 L7 was tiny and stellar in appearance (mag about 8). C/2008 L8 was very diffuse (mag about 8.5). Comet 2008 UT R.A.(2000)Decl. Inst. F MPEC C/2008 L5 June 7.246 4 59.7 +20 55 C2 HS 2008-O16 C/2008 L6 10.038 5 05.5 +23 10 C2 RK 2008-O23 C/2008 L7 10.038 5 05.8 +23 11 C2 RK 2008-O23 C/2008 L8 10.229 5 09.8 +21 03 C2 MA 2008-O23 Z. Sekanina, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, reports that he made an attempt to constrain the probable time of breakup of the SOHO comet C/2002 R5 into its fragments, C/2008 L6 and C/2008 L7. The approach was based on fitting the geocentric positional offsets of C/2008 L7 from C/2008 L6, derived from the June 10 astrometric observations made with the C2 coronagraph (MPEC 2008-O23). The low-accuracy data and the short orbital arc available ruled out the possibility of a more comprehensive modeling, and allowed him only to conclude that the event occurred most probably between 2 and 10 weeks before the 2002 perihelion, when C/2002 R5 was 0.6 to 1.7 AU from the sun. When imaged in 2002, the comet must have been already double, but the separation distance did not exceed 2" and the duplicity could not be resolved by either coronagraph. The rms residual of these solutions was +/- 3".9, and for the seven used offsets (of 11 measured) the residuals did not exceed 6". Another positive sign of these solutions was a low separation velocity, reaching submeter-per-second values for the early breakup times and never getting greater than about 2 m/s. No outgassing-driven differential nongravitational accelerations were found to have been affecting the motions of the fragment comets between 2002 and 2008. With B. G. Marsden's set of elements for C/2008 L6 (MPEC 2008-O23), the following orbit is representative of C/2008 L7: Epoch = 2008 June 23.0 TT, T = 2008 June 10.1704 TT, e = 0.985704, q = 0.045957 AU, Peri. = 58.9343 deg, Node = 359.7975 deg, i = 12.1505 deg (equinox 2000.0), P = 5.76 years.[IAUC 8983, 2008 September 28]
COMETS C/2008 L9-L15 AND C/2008 M1-M7 (SOHO) Further to IAUC 8983, additional near-sun presumed comets have been found on SOHO website images -- all Kreutz sungrazers except for C/2008 L11 and C/2008 L15 (members of the Meyer group). K. Battams writes that C/2008 L9 (which was also found by B. Zhou) was small and stellar in appearance (mag about 7) in C3 images, and quite diffuse with a short, diffuse tail in C2 images. C/2008 L10 and C/2008 L15 were stellar in appearance (mag about 7-7.5). C/2008 L11 was stellar in appearance, reaching mag about 5.5-6 in C2 images. C/2008 L12 was quite diffuse (mag about 7.5-8). C/2008 L13, C/2008 M2, and C/2008 M5 were slightly diffuse (mag about 8). C/2008 L14 was teardrop-shaped (mag about 3-4) in C3 images, and showed a diffuse tail about 0.25 deg long in C2 images (the tail also similarly visible in SECCHI COR2-A images, and as somewhat fainter and shorter in COR2-B images). C/2008 M1 was tiny and stellar in appearance (mag about 8). C/2008 M3 was slightly diffuse (mag about 7.5-8). C/2008 M4 was extremely faint (mag about 8.5) and very diffuse. C/2008 M6 was very small, faint (mag about 8), and somewhat stellar in appearance. C/2008 M7 (which was also found by H. Su) was very diffuse (mag about 8). Comet 2008 UT R.A.(2000)Decl. Inst. F MPEC C/2008 L9 June 10.971 5 14.2 +20 38 C3/2 MU 2008-O23 C/2008 L10 11.988 5 18.1 +20 38 C3/2 MU 2008-O24 C/2008 L11 12.438 5 19.1 +21 16 C2/3 MK 2008-O24 C/2008 L12 13.314 5 23.1 +21 21 C2 MK 2008-O24 C/2008 L13 13.454 5 23.8 +21 21 C2 MK 2008-O24 C/2008 L14 15.138 5 31.4 +18 59 C3/2* TH 2008-O27 C/2008 L15 15.746 5 35.3 +24 04 C2 RK 2008-O27 C/2008 M1 21.660 5 55.8 +21 39 C2 MK 2008-O27 C/2008 M2 22.463 5 58.7 +21 41 C2 MK 2008-O27 C/2008 M3 23.811 6 03.9 +21 49 C2 HS 2008-O27 C/2008 M4 25.285 6 10.1 +21 40 C2 MK 2008-P33 C/2008 M5 25.935 6 12.3 +21 44 C2 RM 2008-P33 C/2008 M6 27.826 6 20.0 +21 44 C2 TH 2008-P33 C/2008 M7 28.826 6 24.3 +21 45 C2 TH 2008-P33[IAUC 8984, 2008 September 29]
COMETS C/2008 N2-N11, C/2008 O1, AND C/2008 O4 (SOHO) Further to IAUC 8984, additional near-sun presumed comets have been found on SOHO website images -- all Kreutz sungrazers except for C/2008 N4 (a Kracht-group member that was suggested by R. Kracht as being identical with C/2002 S7; cf. IAUC 7986, plus the discussion and analysis on MPEC 2008-P60) and C/2008 N10 (no known group). C/2008 N2 was very bright (mag about 4.5) and elongated in C3 images, and showed a diffuse tail about 0.5 deg long in C2 images (where it appeared headless inside about 6 solar radii (apparent); SECCHI COR2-A images on July 3-4 showed a thin tail much like that seen in C2 images, and a tail also was seen to form in the last images obtained with the COR2-B camera on July 4. C/2008 N3 was small and slightly diffuse (mag about 7.5). C/2008 N4, C/2008 N10, and C/2008 N11 were small and stellar in appearance (mag about 7.5). C/2008 N5 was quite faint (mag about 7.5) and stellar in appearance in C3 images, while it was slightly diffuse with no tail in C2 images. C/2008 N6 was small and stellar in appearance (mag about 7.5) in C3 images, but slightly diffuse in C2 images. C/2008 N7 was small and slightly diffuse (mag about 8). C/2008 N8 was quite bright (mag about 6) and slightly elongated in C3 images; it was teardrop-shaped and slightly diffuse in C2 images. C/2008 N9 was small and stellar in appearance (mag about 7) in C3 images, but diffuse and slightly elongated in C2 images. C/2008 O4 was stellar in appearance, peaking at mag about 5.5 around Sept. 6.83 UT. Additional astrometry of C/2008 O1 (cf. IAUC 8962) was published on MPEC 2008-P33, with the note by K. Battams that it appeared very small and stellar in appearance, peaking at mag about 6. Comet 2008 UT R.A.(2000)Decl. Inst. F MPEC C/2008 N2 July 2.888 6 35.8 +18 46 C3/2* BZ 2008-P60 C/2008 N3 3.913 6 44.7 +21 37 C2 RK 2008-P60 C/2008 N4 4.104 6 45.6 +23 14 C2 TH 2008-P60 C/2008 N5 4.388 6 43.7 +20 36 C3/2 AK 2008-P60 C/2008 N6 5.238 6 44.5 +19 23 C3/2 HS 2008-S67 C/2008 N7 6.104 6 53.7 +21 31 C2 TH 2008-S67 C/2008 N8 7.654 6 52.5 +18 45 C3/2 BZ 2008-S68 C/2008 N9 8.321 6 59.2 +20 23 C3 BZ 2008-S68 C/2008 N10 10.579 7 14.7 +21 52 C2 RK 2008-S68 C/2008 N11 12.513 7 15.1 +20 00 C3 HS 2008-S68 C/2008 O4 25.421 8 12.5 +20 17 C2 MK 2008-S67[IAUC 8985, 2008 September 30]
COMET C/2008 S2 = C/2001 D1 = C/2004 X7 (SOHO) Further to IAUC 8985, an additional near-sun presumed comet has been found by R. Kracht on SOHO website images (discovery observation tabulated below). C/2008 S2 has been identified by Kracht as apparently identical with C/2001 D1 (cf. IAUC 7936) and C/2004 X7 (cf. IAUC 8466), a linkage that has been verified by B. G. Marsden (see MPEC 2008-S81 and 2008-S82). K. Battams writes that C/2008 S2 was tiny and stellar in appearance (mag 7.5-8.0) and appeared even fainter on the far side of the sun. In remeasuring the positions of C/2001 D1, Battams notes that it was then very faint and tiny (mag about 8), and was slightly brighter when visible on the far side of the sun. Comet 2008 UT R.A.(2000)Decl. Inst. F MPEC C/2008 S2 Sept. 17.814 11 50.0 + 1 36 C2 RK 2008-S81[IAUC 8986, 2008 September 30]
COMETS C/2008 O4, C/2008 O5, AND C/2008 O6 (SOHO) Further to IAUC 8986, additional near-sun presumed comets have been found on SOHO website images; C/2008 O5 is a Kreutz sungrazer, and C/2008 O6 belongs to no known group. C/2008 O5 was stellar in appearance in C3 images (mag about 6.5-7.0), and small and slightly diffuse in C2 images. C/2008 O6 was stellar in appearance and quite bright (mag about 6.5). Contrary to the inference on IAUC 8985, C/2008 O4 also belongs to no known group, and the last sentence of the first paragraph (regarding C/2008 O4) should be replaced with the following: C/2008 O4 was small and condensed, being brightest at the edge of the C2 field-of-view (mag perhaps 7.5) and becoming fainter as it approached the occulter. Comet 2008 UT R.A.(2000)Decl. Inst. F MPEC C/2008 O5 July 17.196 7 29.8 +18 29 C3/2 BZ 2008-S68 C/2008 O6 17.571 7 52.8 +23 59 C3/2 HS 2008-T10[IAUC 8987, 2008 October 2]
COMET C/2008 O7 (SOHO) Further to IAUC 8987, below are tabulated the discovery data for an additional near-sun presumed comet found on SOHO website images. Not a member of any known dynamical group, C/2008 O7 was very diffuse and perhaps slightly elongated (mag about 7.5-8.0); based on its appearance, K. Battams remarks that it is unlikely to have survived. Comet 2008 UT R.A.(2000)Decl. Inst. F MPEC C/2008 O7 July 18.921 7 54.6 +19 12 C2 BZ 2008-T10[IAUC 9001, 2008 December 5]
COMETS C/2008 P2-P6 AND C/2008 Q5 (SOHO) Further to IAUC 9001, additional Kreutz sungrazers have been found on SOHO website images. C/2008 P2 was small and stellar in appearance (mag about 6.5). C/2008 P3 was small and stellar in appearance in C3 images (mag about 6.5), and very diffuse, very faint, and elongated in C2 images. C/2008 P4 was small and stellar in appearance (mag about 7). C/2008 P5 was small (mag about 6.5) with a short tail in C3 images, and very diffuse, very faint, and elongated in C2 images. C/2008 P6 (found by Z. Xu = ZX) was stellar in appearance (mag about 7). C/2008 Q5 was tiny, very faint (mag about 7-7.5), and stellar in appearance. Comet 2008 UT R.A.(2000)Decl. Inst. F MPEC C/2008 P2 Aug. 1.388 8 25.9 +15 40 C3 HS 2008-T11 C/2008 P3 Aug. 6.196 8 43.2 +14 23 C3/2 MK 2008-T11 C/2008 P4 Aug. 8.054 8 53.4 +14 53 C3 MK 2008-T11 C/2008 P5 Aug. 9.654 8 57.7 +13 18 C3/2 TH 2008-T11 C/2008 P6 Aug. 14.446 9 19.8 +13 12 C3 ZX 2008-T11 C/2008 Q5 Aug. 26.763 10 06.2 + 9 10 C3 JR 2008-X24[IAUC 9003, 2008 December 6]
COMET C/2008 R7 (SOHO) Further to IAUC 9003, an additional near-sun Kracht-group presumed comet was found by R. Kracht on SOHO website images ("discovery" image tabulated below). C/2008 R7 was stellar in appearance in C3, C2, and COR2-A images, peaking at mag about 5.5 around Sept. 6.83 UT. Kracht suggests that C/2008 R7 may be identical with C/2002 S5, though B. G. Marsden notes that identity with C/2002 S11 is also possible (despite its proposed association with C/2008 G6). Comet 2008 UT R.A.(2000)Decl. Inst. F MPEC C/2008 R7 Sept. 6.447 10 52.3 + 7 37 C3/2* RK 2008-S67[IAUC 9006, 2008 December 22]
COMETS C/2008 R8-R12 (SOHO) Further to IAUC 9006, additional near-sun presumed comets have been found on SOHO website images -- all Kreutz sungrazers except for C/2008 R8 (non-group). C/2008 R8 (peak mag about 7), C/2008 R9 (mag about 7), and 2008 R11 (mag about 6.5) were small and stellar in appearance. C/2008 R10 was elongated (mag about 5.5) in C3 images, and quite diffuse with a very faint short tail in C2 images. C/2008 R12 was slightly elongated (mag about 6-6.5) in C3 images, and diffuse with a very faint, diffuse, short tail in C2 images. Comet 2008 UT R.A.(2000)Decl. Inst. F MPEC C/2008 R8 Sept. 3.629 10 46.2 + 6 02 C2 RK 2008-X24 C/2008 R9 4.904 10 32.1 + 5 34 C3 JR 2008-X24 C/2008 R10 7.904 10 38.0 + 4 00 C3/2 RK 2008-X24 C/2008 R11 7.904 10 43.1 + 4 35 C3 BZ 2008-X25 C/2008 R12 11.905 10 54.5 + 2 40 C3/2 BZ 2008-X25 C/2008 R13 14.596 11 16.4 + 2 29 C3 HS 2008-X25[IAUC 9011, 2009 January 20]
COMETS C/2003 Q1, Q6; C/2008 R13, AND C/2008 S4-S8 (SOHO) Further to IAUC 9011, additional Kreutz sungrazing comets have been found on SOHO website images. C/2008 R13 (which was inadvertently tabulated on IAUC 9011; peak magnitude about 7.5), C/2008 S4 (peak mag about 6.5-7), and C/2008 S5 (peak mag about 7) were small and stellar in appearance. C/2008 S6 was tiny and stellar in appearance (mag about 7.5) in C3 images, but quite diffuse and very faint in C2 images. C/2008 S7 was small and stellar in appearance (mag about 6.5-7) in C3 images, but very diffuse and slightly elongated in C2 images. C/2008 S8 was stellar in appearance (mag about 6.5-7) in C3 images, but diffuse with a very faint, diffuse, short tail in C2 images. Comet 2008 UT R.A.(2000)Decl. Inst. F MPEC C/2008 S4 Sept.17.571 11 23.1 + 0 54 C3 RM 2008-X25 C/2008 S5 19.696 11 31.2 + 0 18 C3 RM 2008-Y04 C/2008 S6 28.388 12 09.3 - 3 43 C3/2 MK 2008-Y04 C/2008 S7 29.096 12 03.6 - 3 46 C3/2 JR 2008-Y04 C/2008 S8 30.179 12 08.4 - 4 12 C3/2 MK 2008-Y04 K. Battams adds that C/2003 Q1 and C/2003 Q6 (cf. IAUC 8339) were both tiny and stellar in appearance (peaking at mag about 8- 8.5); improved astrometry for these presumed comets was published on MPEC 2008-Y06.[IAUC 9014, 2009 January 28]
COMETS C/2008 T6-T10 (SOHO) Further to IAUC 9014, additional near-sun presumed comets have been found on SOHO website images; all were Kreutz sungrazers except for C/2008 T6 (Meyer group) and C/2008 T7 (no known group). Those objects visible in C3 images appeared stellar therein. C/2008 T6 was small and faded quickly (peak mag about 7). C/2008 T7 was tiny (mag about 7.5-8). C/2008 T8 peaked at mag about 6.5- 7 in C3 images, but was quite diffuse with a short, diffuse tail in C2 images. C/2008 T9 and C/2008 T10 were of mag 7.5-8 in C3 images; the former was diffuse and very faint in C2 images, while the latter was very diffuse and slightly elongated in C2 images. Comet 2008 UT R.A.(2000)Decl. Inst. F MPEC C/2008 T6 Oct. 2.379 12 31.1 - 2 17 C2 BZ 2009-A59 C/2008 T7 3.868 12 42.4 - 2 46 C2 RK 2009-A59 C/2008 T8 5.279 12 26.6 - 6 13 C3/2 JR 2009-A59 C/2008 T9 5.304 12 31.8 - 6 02 C3/2 MK 2009-A59 C/2008 T10 11.846 12 57.8 - 8 32 C3/2 TH 2009-A59[IAUC 9018, 2009 February 2]
COMETS C/2008 T11, C/2008 T12, AND C/2008 U2-U4 (SOHO) Further to IAUC 9018, additional Kreutz sungrazers have been found on SOHO website images. C/2008 T11 was small and stellar in appearance (mag about 7-7.5) in C3 images, but diffuse and faint with no tail in C2 images. C/2008 T12 was very small, diffuse, and elongated (mag about 8). C/2008 U2 was small and stellar in appearance (mag about 7). C/2008 U3 was slightly diffuse (mag about 8-8.5). C/2008 U4 was slightly diffuse, appearing small (mag about 7) in C3 images with a short, diffuse tail in C2 images. Comet 2008 UT R.A.(2000)Decl. Inst. F MPEC C/2008 T11 Oct. 13.638 13 01.3 - 9 32 C3/2 HS 2009-A59 C/2008 T12 14.313 13 11.3 - 9 13 C2 RK 2009-A59 C/2008 U2 16.521 13 19.8 -10 06 C2 EB 2009-B66 C/2008 U3 16.788 13 21.3 -10 09 C2 RM 2009-B66 C/2008 U4 16.863 13 08.1 -11 06 C3/2 RM 2009-B66[IAUC 9020, 2009 February 18]
COMETS C/2008 U5-U8 (SOHO) Further to IAUC 9020, additional near-sun presumed comets have been found on SOHO website images -- all Kreutz sungrazers except for C/2008 U6 (non-group), which was small and stellar in appearance (mag about 7.5). C/2008 U5 was extremely faint (mag about 8.5) and very diffuse. C/2008 U7 was stellar in appearance and perhaps slightly elongated (mag about 7) in C3 images, but quite diffuse with a thin, diffuse, faint tail in C2 images. C/2008 U8 was very diffuse (mag about 8-8.5). Comet 2008 UT R.A.(2000)Decl. Inst. F MPEC C/2008 U5 Oct. 18.188 13 28.1 -10 55 C2 RM 2009-B66 C/2008 U6 18.440 13 31.0 - 7 53 C2 MK 2009-B67 C/2008 U7 20.571 13 29.8 -12 09 C3/2 RK 2009-B67 C/2008 U8 20.746 13 36.0 -11 41 C2 TH 2009-B67[IAUC 9021, 2009 February 20]
COMETS C/2008 U6, C/2008 U9-U16, C/2008 V1-V3 (SOHO) A revised orbit on MPEC 2009-B70 shows C/2008 U6 (cf. IAUC 9021) to be a member of the Meyer group. Additional near-sun presumed comets have been found on SOHO website images, with their "discovery" observations tabulated below -- all Kreutz sungrazers except for C/2008 V2 (Meyer group). C/2008 U9 was very diffuse (mag about 8-8.5). C/2008 U10 and C/2008 U15 were faint (mag about 8) and diffuse. C/2008 U11 was slightly diffuse; it appeared small (mag about 7) in C3 images, with a short, diffuse tail in C2 images. C/2008 U12 and C/2008 V3 were very diffuse (mag about 8). C/2008 U13 was stellar in appearance (mag about 7.5) in C3 images, and quite condensed with no tail in C2 images. C/2008 U14 was slightly diffuse and elongated (mag about 8). C/2008 U16 was small and condensed (mag about 7.5-8). C/2008 V1 was slightly diffuse; in C3 images, it was faint (mag about 7.5). C/2008 V2 was stellar in appearance (mag about 7). Comet 2008 UT R.A.(2000)Decl. Inst. F MPEC C/2008 U9 Oct. 21.621 13 39.7 -12 03 C2 HS 2009-B67 C/2008 U10 24.521 13 50.7 -13 06 C2 ZX 2009-B70 C/2008 U11 24.696 13 44.3 -13 52 C3/2 HS 2009-B70 C/2008 U12 26.329 13 57.7 -13 40 C2 BZ 2009-B70 C/2008 U13 26.988 13 53.6 -14 38 C3/2 RM 2009-B71 C/2008 U14 27.454 14 02.9 -14 10 C2 RK 2009-B71 C/2008 U15 28.413 14 06.6 -14 31 C2 JR 2009-B71 C/2008 U16 31.079 14 16.7 -15 23 C2 RM 2009-B71 C/2008 V1 Nov. 2.821 14 24.9 -16 55 C3/2 RM 2009-C46 C/2008 V2 4.246 14 31.5 -16 07 C2 RK 2009-C46 C/2008 V3 6.329 14 41.9 -17 25 C2 RM 2009-C46[IAUC 9022, 2009 February 24]
COMETS C/2008 V4, C/2008 V5, C/2008 V6 (SOHO) Further to IAUC 9022, additional near-sun presumed comets have been found on SOHO website images, with their "discovery" observations tabulated below -- all Kreutz sungrazers except for C/2008 V5 (non-group). C/2008 V4 was very faint (mag about 8-8.5) and condensed. C/2008 V5 was perhaps very slightly diffuse but very small (mag about 7.5-8). Comet 2008 UT R.A.(2000)Decl. Inst. F MPEC C/2008 V4 Nov. 7.063 14 46.2 -17 46 C2 RM 2009-C46 C/2008 V5 8.660 15 04.1 -16 00 C2 JR 2009-C47 C/2008 V6 11.868 15 06.1 -18 57 C2 JR 2009-C47[IAUC 9024, 2009 March 4]
COMETS C/2008 W1 AND C/2009 A1 (STEREO) Further to IAUCs 8955 and 9005, K. Battams has measured (and B. G. Marsden has reduced) astrometry for two additional near-sun presumed comets that were found on STEREO website images by A. Watson. C/2008 W1, which was observed only by the 'HI1-B' instrument (onboard STEREO-B), was a Kreutz sungrazer. C/2008 W1 peaked at magnitude perhaps 9-10; the SOHO LASCO instrument was not operational when this object was found. C/2009 A1, which was detected by the HI1 instruments on both STEREO-A and STEREO-B, belongs to no known group; D. Chestnov and R. Kracht aided in the finding of images of this object in HI1-B images after it was initially found in HI1-A images. Battams notes that C/2009 A1 was very faint, peaking around mag 13 (with 14 being the limiting magnitude of the HI-1 instruments), and it was small and seemingly diffuse. The parabolic orbital elements below for C/2009 A1 by Marsden were published on MPC 65057. Comet 2008 UT R.A.(2000)Decl. Inst. F MPEC C/2008 W1 Nov. 18.739 12 28.7 - 7 38 H1B AW 2009-B10 Comet 2009 UT R.A.(2000)Decl. Inst. F MPEC C/2009 A1 Jan. 10.017 22 28.1 - 3 51 H1A AW 2009-B10 T = 2009 Jan. 11.785 TT Peri. = 102.326 Node = 340.014 2000.0 q = 0.12713 AU Incl. = 51.472[IAUC 9025, 2009 March 5]
COMETS C/2008 W2, C/2008 W3, C/2008 W4, C/2008 W5 (SOHO) Further to IAUC 9024, additional Kreutz sungrazers have been found on SOHO website images, with their "discovery" observations tabulated below. C/2008 W2 was tiny and condensed (mag about 7.5). C/2008 W3 was stellar in appearance (mag about 7-7.5) in C3 images, and quite condensed in C2 images. C/2008 W4 was tiny and stellar in appearance (mag about 8). C/2008 W5 was stellar in appearance (mag about 6.5) in C3 images, and fairly condensed with a very short, diffuse tail in C2 images. Comet 2008 UT R.A.(2000)Decl. Inst. F MPEC C/2008 W2 Nov. 16.317 15 25.5 -20 29 C2 JR 2009-C47 C/2008 W3 23.388 15 49.0 -23 40 C3/2 AK 2009-C47 C/2008 W4 23.521 15 56.0 -21 11 C2 HS 2009-C56 C/2008 W5 23.888 15 51.2 -23 46 C3/2 JR 2009-C56[IAUC 9027, 2009 March 15]
COMETS C/2008 W11, C/2009 W12, C/2008 X5, C/2008 X6 (SOHO) Further to IAUC 9028, additional presumed comets have been found on SOHO website images. C/2008 W11 and C/2008 W12 were slightly diffuse Kreutz sungrazers (peak magnitudes about 8 and 8.5, respectively). C/2008 X5 (Meyer group) and C/2008 X6 (Marsden group) were both small and stellar in appearance (mag about 7.5). Comet 2008 UT R.A.(2000)Decl. Inst. F MPEC C/2008 W11 Nov. 29.921 16 24.0 -23 25 C2 EB 2009-C57 C/2008 W12 29.963 16 24.4 -23 23 C2 RM 2009-E60 C/2008 X5 Dec. 7.022 16 56.8 -23 57 C2 RK 2008-Y06 C/2008 X6 7.504 16 53.5 -22 17 C2 RK 2008-Y06[IAUC 9030, 2009 March 20]
COMETS C/2008 X7-X12 (SOHO) Further to IAUC 9030, additional Kreutz sungrazers have been found on SOHO website images. C/2008 X7 and C/2008 X8 were very diffuse (peak magnitudes about 8 and 7.5-8, respectively). C/2008 X9 was small and condensed (mag about 7-7.5). C/2008 X10 was tiny and stellar in appearance (mag about 8). C/2008 X11 was small and stellar in appearance (mag about 7) in C3 images, but slightly diffuse with a short, faint, diffuse tail in C2 images. C/2008 X12 was small and stellar in appearance (mag about 6.5) in C3 images, but condensed with a very thin, faint tail in C2 images. Comet 2008 UT R.A.(2000)Decl. Inst. F MPEC C/2008 X7 Dec. 1.329 16 31.0 -23 40 C2 MU 2009-E60 C/2008 X8 2.686 16 38.1 -23 55 C2 MA 2009-E60 C/2008 X9 3.604 16 41.2 -24 02 C2 EB 2009-E60 C/2008 X10 3.938 16 42.5 -24 05 C2 RK 2009-E61 C/2008 X11 5.154 16 48.0 -25 51 C3/2 SY 2009-E61 C/2008 X12 8.846 17 02.9 -26 54 C3/2 MU 2009-E61[IAUC 9031, 2009 March 20]
COMETS C/2008 X13, C/2008 X14, C/2008 Y4, C/2008 Y5 (SOHO) Further to IAUC 9031, additional Kreutz sungrazers have been found on SOHO website images. K. Battams notes that C/2008 X13 was quite diffuse (mag about 7.5) with a very short, diffuse tail. C/2008 X14 was extremely faint (mag about 8.5) and slightly diffuse. C/2008 Y4 and C/2008 Y5 were tiny and stellar in appearance (mag about 8-8.5). Comet 2008 UT R.A.(2000)Decl. Inst. F MPEC C/2008 X13 Dec. 10.729 17 14.0 -24 52 C2 RK 2009-E61 C/2008 X14 13.663 17 28.5 -25 04 C2 ZX 2009-E63 C/2008 Y4 19.712 17 56.4 -25 08 C2 BZ 2009-E63 C/2008 Y5 19.896 17 57.7 -25 08 C2 ZJ 2009-E63[IAUC 9032, 2009 March 21]
COMETS C/2008 Y6-Y9 (SOHO) Additional Kreutz sungrazers were found on SOHO website images (cf. IAUC 9032). C/2008 Y6 (mag about 6.5-7), C/2008 Y7 (mag about 6-6.5), and C/2008 Y8 mag about 7-7.5) were small and stellar in appearance in C3 images; C2 images showed C/2008 Y6 and C/2008 Y8 as slightly diffuse, and C/2008 Y7 as teardrop-shaped, with C/2008 Y6 and C/2008 Y7 each showing a short, faint tail. C/2008 Y9 was faint (mag about 8) and diffuse. Comet 2008 UT R.A.(2000)Decl. Inst. F MPEC C/2008 Y6 Dec. 21.138 18 04.5 -27 12 C3/2 MU 2009-E63 C/2008 Y7 21.154 18 04.7 -27 19 C3/2 MU 2009-E63 C/2008 Y8 21.571 18 05.8 -25 52 C3/2 MK 2009-E63 C/2008 Y9 21.588 18 04.6 -25 12 C2 MK 2009-E63[IAUC 9036, 2009 April 9]
COMETS C/2003 Q1, Q6; C/2008 X6; C/2008 Y10, Y11 (SOHO) Further to IAUC 9036, additional near-sun presumed comets have been found on SOHO website images (with the initial observations tabulated below). C/2008 Y10, a Kreutz sungrazer, was stellar in appearance (mag about 6) in C3 images; in C2 images, it was teardrop-shaped and slightly diffuse. C/2008 Y11, a member of the Marsden group, was tiny and stellar in appearance (mag about 7). R. Kracht proposed that C/2008 Y11 may be identical with C/2003 Q6 (cf. IAUC 8339), and C/2008 X6 (cf. IAUC 9030) with C/2003 Q1 (cf. IAUC 8339); linkages by B. G. Marsden (cf. MPEC 2009-F81) suggest that these two comets (both with P approximately 5.3 yr) may have separated from each other around their last return to perihelion (1998 Apr. 26-29), though Kracht was unable to find any trace of them in C2 data from 1998 Apr. 25. Comet 2008 UT R.A.(2000)Decl. Inst. F MPEC C/2008 Y10 Dec. 21.988 18 09.0 -27 29 C3/2 JR 2009-F17 C/2008 Y11 22.288 17 59.0 -22 54 C2 RK 2009-F17[IAUC 9037, 2009 April 10]
COMETS C/2008 Y12-Y15 (SOHO) Further to IAUC 9037, additional near-sun presumed comets have been found on SOHO website images. C/2008 Y12 and Kreutz sungrazer C/2008 Y15 were stellar in appearance (mag about 7.5). C/2008 Y13, also a Kreutz sungrazer, appeared stellar (mag about 7-7.5) in C3 images, but was very diffuse, faint, and slightly elongated in C2 images. C/2008 Y14 was very diffuse (mag about 8). Comet 2008 UT R.A.(2000)Decl. Inst. F MPEC C/2008 Y12 Dec. 22.704 17 58.6 -22 42 C2 RK 2009-F17 C/2008 Y13 27.888 18 36.1 -25 38 C3/2 AK 2009-F18 C/2008 Y14 27.896 18 20.0 -22 43 C2 JR 2009-F18 C/2008 Y15 29.821 18 45.1 -25 36 C3 BZ 2009-F18[IAUC 9039, 2009 April 18]
COMETS C/2008 E10, C/2008 Y16, AND C/2008 Y17 (STEREO) Further to IAUCs 9025 and 9036, additional slightly diffuse and somewhat elongated Kreutz sungrazers have been found on STEREO/ SECCHI HI-1A images (the elongation is partly due to the long exposure times, about 40 min). Approximate peak magnitudes: C/2008 E10, 11-12; C/2008 Y16, 10-11; C/2008 Y17, 10. K. Battams notes that Kreutz comets in the HI-1 images generally initially appear out of the background noise at mag about 13.5, and they are still in the process of brightening as they leave the field-of-view; he adds that their rates of initial brightening varies -- some making very abrupt appearances, while others gradually come into view. Comet 2008 UT R.A.(2000)Decl. Inst. F MPEC C/2008 E10 Mar. 7.850 1 01.8 + 2 32 HI* AW 2009-F31 C/2008 Y16 Dec. 31.794 22 05.1 -15 04 HI* AW 2009-F31 C/2008 Y17 Dec. 31.905 22 07.4 -15 32 HI* KB 2009-F31[IAUC 9051, 2009 June 7]
COMET C/2002 S7 = C/2008 N4 = C/1996 X3 (SOHO) Further to IAUC 8985 and R. Kracht's suggestion that C/2002 S7 = C/2008 N4, Kracht has now confirmed the likely identification with C/1996 X3 (cf. IAUC 8734). Since the 1996 comet passed perihelion 0.12 day later than the gravitational 2002-2008 linkage indicates, he assumed the nongravitational parameters A_1 = 0.0000, A_2 = +0.0027. Further details are given on MPEC 2009-J14, which includes the following orbital elements: T = 2008 July 4.38 TT, q = 0.0482, e = 0.9851, Peri. = 52.39 deg, Node = 49.82 deg, i = 13.47 deg (equinox 2000.0), P = 5.78 yr.[IAUC 9041, 2009 May 5]
COMET C/2001 D1 = C/2004 X7 = C/2008 S2 = C/1997 J6 (SOHO) Further to IAUC 8986, R. Kracht has identified very weak images of a presumed comet on SOHO images from 1997 that he and B. G. Marsden have linked (via measurements by K. Battams) to the comets in 2001, 2004, and 2008 with nongravitational forces. Comet 1997 UT R.A.(2000)Decl. Inst. F MPEC C/1997 J6 May 1.917 2 29.7 +14 25 C2 RK 2009-H56[IAUC 9050, 2009 May 29]