British Astronomical Association
Comet Section

2000 News

Jan 10  Orbit published for 1998 G3 (SOHO) - non Kreutz comet
Jan 12  1999 Y2 possibly detetectable by CCD, though at low altitude and poor
        elongation.  See ephemeris on MPEC 2000-A36 .
Jan 12  Faint comet 1999 XS87 (LINEAR-37) announced on IAUC
Jan 12  SOHO back on line
Jan 14  Faint, distant comet 2000 A1 (Montani) [Spacewatch-13] discovered
Jan 16  Neptune is in the LASCO C3 frames, but near the magnitude limit.  
        See the end of  Kreutz comets  for further transits.
Jan 18  Kreutz comet fragment SOHO-96 discovered by Doug Biesecker on C3 images 10:18
        (or earlier) to 14:18
Jan 24  Interesting long period asteroid 2000 AB229 on MPEC2000-B20
Jan 24  I've discovered another one (at 19:40) - a Kreutz fragment visible on SOHO C3 frames
        possibly from as early as 08:18 today.  Probably SOHO-97
Jan 25  Comet confirmed as SOHO-97=2000 B1  It is now (09:00) 5th mag with a short tail,
        perihelion is Jan 25.83.
Jan 29  Probable faint Kreutz sungrazer SOHO-98 discovered on C3 frames by Maik Meyer.
Jan 30  Michael Oates reports an independent detection of SOHO-98 on a movie loop
        that he compiled from individual high resolution images.
Jan 31  Draft procedure for reporting possible comet discoveries
Jan 31  Maik Meyer and Terry Lovejoy discover SOHO-99 on C3 frames (very faint).
Feb 01  MPEC-C02 has an interesting TNO with q of 35 AU and a of 116 AU.
Feb 01  Discovery announcement of 2000 B2 (LINEAR-38), a faint, distant comet.
Feb 02  Discovery announcement of 2000 B3 (P/LINEAR, LINEAR-39), a faint periodic comet
Feb 03  LINEAR discovers sun close-approaching asteroid 2000 BD19
Feb 03  SOHO-100 discovered by Kazimieras Cernis on C2 frames (unconfirmed non Kreutz)
Feb 05  SOHO-101 discovered by Maik Meyer on C2 frames - non Kreutz.  Visible moving
        diagonally across the upper left quadrant from 03:54 to 16:51.
Feb 05  SOHO-102 discovered by Doug Biesecker on C2 frames (same track as previous 
        object, but visible Feb 4 13:31 - Feb 5 02:48)
Feb 06  Discovery announcement of 2000 C1 (P/Hergenrother), a faint periodic comet
Feb 07  SOHO-103 discovered by Michael Oates, again on a similar track to the previous
        three objects, visible 18:54 - 20:44.
Feb 08  ESA/NASA Press release on SOHO-100,
        with added information and images on  NASA hotshots 
Feb 09  SOHO-104 discovered by Terry Lovejoy. A faint Kreutz comet on lower left of C3
        frames from 06:18 to 15:42 or later, though it seems to be fading.
Feb 12  Orbits published for SOHO-100 - 104 = 2000 C2 - 2000 C6
Feb 14  I depart for Antarctica
Feb 15  Orbits published for SOHO-?? and ?? = 1999 O1 and 1999 P3
Feb 18  Three faint comets 1999 WJ7 (P/Korlevic), 2000 B4 (D/LINEAR-40) and 2000 CT54 (LINEAR-41)
Feb 26  SOHO-106 discovered by ??
Feb 29  Two faint periodic comets 1999 XB69 (LINEAR-42) and 1999 XN120 (Catalina-7) and SOHO 105=2000 D1
Mar 01  Another faint LINEAR comet, 2000 D2=LINEAR-43
Mar 07  SOHO-107 (2000 E1) discovered and designations given for 8 earlier SOHO comets 
Mar 09  SOHO-108 (1999 E2) discovered by Michael Oates in archival data
Mar 17  Four SOHO comets from September 1999 designated
Mar 22  SOHO-109 discovered by Michael Oates in archival data
Mar 24  Eight SOHO comets designated
Mar 30  I return from Antarctica
Apr 01  SOHO-110 (2000 F1) discovered in C2 frames by Maik Meyer and Jon Shanklin
Apr 04  Link added to Terry Lovejoy's comet page
Apr 09  Faint, but nearby comet, discovered by LINEAR (2000 G1, LINEAR-44)
Apr 11  The April Comet's Tale is in preparation
Apr 15  P/Kowal-Mrkos accidentally recovered by LINEAR as 2000 ET90
Apr 21  No comets but there are some aurora pics at  my work page 
Apr 27  Jupiter is entering the LASCO C3 field, Saturn will enter the field about May 1.
Apr 29  SOHO-111 discovered in C3 frames by Terry Lovejoy and Michael Oates.  The
        object was very bright with a prominent tail.
Apr 29  Faint comet discovered by LINEAR (2000 H1 = LINEAR-45)
May 01  The Comet's Tale is printed, but distribution won't start before May 02.
May 01  Another faint comet discovered by LINEAR (2000 G2 = LINEAR-46)
May 02  Mercury joins Jupiter and Saturn on the LASCO C3 images
May 04  Seiichi Yoshida recovers 1999 S4 at 13.0 mag  (CCD, very low)
May 06  NEAT discovers a cometary asteroid
May 07  Michael Oates discovers a faint non Kreutz comet on C2 frames - SOHO-112
May 08  Bill Ferris of LONEOS discovers a faint comet (2000 J1, LONEOS-8)
May 09  Distribution of The Comet's Tale is in progress
May 09  Doug Biesecker finds SOHO-113=1999 C2 whilst testing his automated search
        routine in data from 1999 February 6.
May 09  Kazimieras Cernis discovers a Kreutz comet on C3 frames, it is also visible on 
        C2 from 01:26 to 05:26 on May 10.  SOHO-114=2000 J3
May 11  All copies of The Comet's Tale now posted.  Please allow due time for delivery.
May 12  Venus is entering the LASCO C3 field.  The Pliaedes are also on view.
May 14  Unusual asteroid HR24 reported on MPEC 2000-J50
May 15  Michael Oates and Xavier Leprette discover a Kreutz comet in C2 frames.  It is
        visible from 02:06 to 06:26.  SOHO-115=2000 J4
May 15  Unusual asteroid HD74 reported on MPEC 2000-J56
May 16  Mercury leaves C3 images (cf NASA science news)
May 20  Faint Kreutz comet on C2 from 21:26 May 19 discovered by Mike Boschat and others.
May 21  Another Kreutz comet detected on C2 frames from May 11 by Michael Oates (SOHO-117)
May 22  Michael Oates has spotted another one in C2 frames from 13:26 today.  SOHO-118
May 26  Michael Boschat and Michael Oates locate another Kreutz comet (SOHO-119) on C2 frames.
May 26  Comet meeting in Iran (announcement)
May 26  LINEAR discovers two 18th mag comets, 2000 K1=LINEAR-47, 2000 K2=LINEAR-48
May 27  Michael Oates and Xavier Leprette discover SOHO-120 in C2 frames from this morning
May 30  SOHO-121 discovered in 1998 November 4 data using the automated search routine
Jun 03  LONEOS discovers asteroid 2000 LK in very eccentric sun approaching orbit
Jun 06  Michael Oates discovers another Kreutz sungrazer in archival C2 images from 1999 May 7
Jun 06  Michael Oates discovers another  4 in archival images from May 1999, making a
        total of 5 in a day!  This is a record for the number of discoveries in one day.
        Congratulations to Michael.  He has a  web page  
        showing his discoveries.
Jun 07  Correction, make that 6!  He discovered another one in archival data from June 2000.
Jun 09  Observing supplement from the April 2000 Newsletter available online
Jun 09  Michael Boschat  discovers a Kreutz sungrazer in C2 (SOHO-128)
Jun 10  Michael Oates, Xavier Leprette and Michael Boschat discover another Kreutz sungrazer in 
        C2 (SOHO-130)
Jun 12  Michael Oates also discovered a further five archival comets over the weekend, SOHO-129
        131, 132, 133 and 134 all in C2 data.
Jun 12  I've updated the  comenter  program to make it Y2K compliant.
Jun 12  A draft of the revised Comet Observing Guide and the October 1999 and April 1999
        newsletters are available on line.  See  Publications 
Jun 14  Michael Boschat, Maik Meyer and Xavier Leprette detect a faint Kreutz comet in C2.
Jun 15  Another two archival SOHO comets from May 1998, SOHO-136 and 137.
Jun 15  Another C2 comet in real-time data discovered by Michael Boschat and Jonathan Shanklin
Jun 17  Michael Oates finds another three SOHO comets in archival data from May 1998.
Jun 18  Yet more SOHO comets, real time and archival.  We're now up to 145.  There are two
        real time ones 142 (Boschat & Pavel Shkreby) and 144 (Oates & Boschat) and two from
        May 1998 (Oates).  
Jun 19  Michael Oates discovered another archival one yesterday and Maik Meyer has a
        faint one on C2 today (SOHO-147).  Michael has two archival ones from June 1998.
        The next one is 150 - will it be today - yes he's got another two!
Jun 19  Michael went on to discover three more, setting a new record of 7 in 24 hours.
Jun 20  I have removed the Kreutz comets from my current comets page and put them in a 
        separate page.
Jun 20  Michael discovers another archival comet SOHO-155
Jun 21  Michael Oates discovers SOHO-156 on C2 images from 1998 June 12, SOHO-157
        from 1999 June 3 and SOHO-158 from 1999 June 1
Jun 22  Maik Meyer & Michael Boschat discover SOHO-159 on real time C2 images
Jun 23  Michael Oates discovers another three archival comets this morning.
Jun 24  Michael Oates award the Comet Section Keedy Award at the BAA Exhibition Meeting
Jun 24  Alexander Mimeev and Pavel Shkreby discover SOHO-163 on C2
Jun 25  Michael Oates discovers archival comet SOHO-164 (in 2020 according to the email)
Jun 26  Hartwig Luethen and Maik Meyer discover SOHO-165 in C3.  Maik has a  page  on his SOHO discoveries.
Jun 28  Doug Biesecker reports SOHO-166? on C2 from early this morning
Jun 28  Maik Meyer reports a possible Kreutz comet from C2 on June 25
Jun 28  Michael Oates discovers another archival C2 comet.
Jun 30  Nine SOHO comets given designations.  Edgar Wilson awards announced.
Jun 30  pdf files downloaded again as some were corrupt
Jul 01  Maik Meyer discovers SOHO-169? on C3.  Several independent discoveries,
        including myself on C2.
Jul 01  Michael Oates discovers SOHO-170? on archival C2 images.
Jul 01  Terry Lovejoy discovers SOHO-171? on live C3 (independent discovery by myself)
Jul 02  Michael Oates discovers SOHO-172? on archival C2
Jul 07  Michael Oates discovers another two archival comets making him the leading
        discoverer
Jul 08  Pavel Shkreby and Maik Meyer discover a real time comet in C3
Jul 09  Michael Oates discovers another archival comet on C2, SOHO-176?
Jul 10  Revised discovery guidelines posted
Jul 10  Michael Oates discovers SOHO-177? on archival C2 images
Jul 11  Five SOHO comets assigned (1998 L2 to 1998 L6)
Jul 11  Possible interesting object around 17 51 +33 20; doesn't exist
Jul 12  Another 12 SOHO comets assigned.
Jul 12  Michael Oates discovers SOHO-(178?) on archival C2 images already
        searched by the automatic procedure.  SOHO-153 does not exist.
Jul 12  Sun approaching asteroid 2000 NL10 discovered by LINEAR
Jul 13  Another three SOHO comets assigned (2000 M6 - M8)
Jul 15  Michael Oates finds an archival comet from Dec 1999
Jul 16  Michael Oates finds another archival comet from Dec 1999
Jul 18  Three SOHO comets from 1999 assigned (G3, G4, H6)
Jul 19  SOHO archival comet reported on June 28 does not exist as a confirmed comet
Jul 19  News of Pro-am meeting in London
Jul 20  Five more SOHO comets assigned (1999 G5, H7, J12, X2, 2000 N2)
Jul 20  Michael Oates finds further images of 1998 G3 on C2.
Jul 20  LASCO coronagraphs back in action.
Jul 22  Xavier Leprette discovers an archival C2 comet from 1997 June 12
Jul 22  Michael Oates discovers twin comets on C2 images from 1997 May 10
Jul 23  Michael Oates discovers a possible comet on C2 images from 1997 May 20
Jul 23  B W Koehn discovers a distant comet on LONEOS images (2000 O1 = LONEOS-9)
Jul 25  Michael Oates discovers an archival C2 comet from 1997 May 25
Jul 25  Michael Oates discovers another two possible comets from 1997 May 31
Jul 26  Xavier Leprette discovers an archival C2 comet from 1997 June 28
Jul 26  Doug Hamer discovers an archival C2 comet from 1997 May 31
Jul 28  IAUC 7467 reports that 1999 S4 may be disintegrating
Jul 28  Comet P/Kushida = 2000 O2 recovered
Jul 28  Michael Oates discovers 3 archival comets from April 1998
Jul 31  Jonathan Shanklin discovers a non Kreutz comet on C2 images from today.  It is also
        visible on C3.
Aug 01  MPEC 2000-P03 announces the discovery of another retrograde asteroid.
Aug 03  Xavier Leprette discovers a Kreutz comet in C2 from 1997 June 17
Aug 03  Orbits for six more SOHO comets published
Aug 06  Michael Boschat and Pavel Shkreby discover a very faint sungrazing comet on C3
Aug 08  Hubble images from Aug 5 show 1999 S4 has disintegrated leaving several cometisimals
Aug 08  ESO VLT images of 1999 S4 taken on Aug 6 released
Aug 09  Derek Hamer discovers a Kreutz comet in C2 from 1998 April 9
Aug 13  Michael Oates discovers three archival sungrazers from 1998 April
Aug 14  Michael Boschat discovers very faint Kreutz comet on live C3
Aug 16  Michael Oates finds three archival sungrazers from April 1997
Aug 17  Possible archive sungrazer from 1997 July found by Xavier Leprette
Aug 18  There have been no recent SOHO comet orbits as the IAU commanded the three senior
        members of CBAT to attend the IAU meeting in Manchester.
Aug 18  Minor revision to discovery procedures
Aug 18  Michael Oates discovers an archival sungrazer from 1997 April 11 = SOHO 200
Aug 19  15 SOHO comets assigned.  SOHO-189 is likely to be 19th mag at 50 deg elongation,
        but is a southern hemisphere object with a narrow observation window in the dusk sky.
Aug 20  Revision to the format of the pages detailing current comets (implemented August 29).
Aug 22  Maik  Meyer discovers an archival sungrazer from 1996 Mar 10
Aug 23  Maik Meyer and Xavier Leprette discover possible archival sungrazers from 1996
        Orbits for three more objects published
Aug 25  Further possible archival sungrazers discovered by Michael Oates and Maik Meyer
Aug 29  Michael Oates discovers an archival sungrazer from 1996 May 19
Aug 29  James Danaher discovers a non-Kreutz object on C3 tracking left to right, in the
        left hand upper quadrant.
Aug 29  Please let me know if there are any problems with the revised format for current comets.
Aug 29  Orbit published for 1998 F2=SOHO-202
Aug 31  Orbit published for 2000 Q1=SOHO-203,  The retrograde asteroid 2000 OF8 is a comet. 
        (Spacewatch-14)
Sep 02  Maik Meyer reports two possible archival comets from 1996 April
Sep 04  Michael Oates reports two possible archival comets from 1999 September 21 - SOHO 87+88
Sep 05  97P/Metcalf=Brewington recovered by LINEAR
Sep 06  2P/Encke is visible in SOHO C3 frames, but fainter than expected at 9th mag.
Sep 07  Comet P/Shoemaker-Levy 5 recovered by LINEAR
Sep 13  Comet 2P/Encke is more easily visible on the SOHO C3 images after perihelion, though it
        is about mag 9.5
Sep 14  Comet Encke brightened significantly around 15:00 and is now 6.6
Sep 18  Faint periodic comet P/LINEAR (2000 R2) discovered (LINEAR-49)
Sep 25  New 15th mag comet 2000 S1 P/Skiff discovered.  It is near opposition in Cetus.
        (LONEOS-10)
Sep 29  Faint comet 2000 S2 discovered by LINEAR is D/Shoemaker 2 (LINEAR-50)
Oct 02  New 18th mag comet 2000 S3 discovered (LONEOS-11)
Oct 03  Faint periodic comet 2000 S4 discovered (Spacewatch-15)
Oct 09  Bright Kreutz group sungrazer discovered on SOHO C3 by James Danaher (SOHO-204, 2000 T1)
Oct 11  A second small fragment follows behind 2000 T1 on the C2 frames
Oct 12  Michael Oates discovers an archival sungrazer from 1999 October 17
Oct 12  James Danaher and Michael Oates discover another Kreutz fragment on 
        C2 & 3.  It looks 'odd' and is perhaps two objects after a recent split.  SOHO-206.
Oct 14  P/Kushida-Muramatsu recovered
Oct 16  Orbits for the three SOHO comets published
Oct 19  Asteroid 2000 SV74 found to be cometary (LINEAR-51)
Oct 21  Michael Oates discovers another (faint) sungrazer on C2 (SOHO-208)
Oct 21  The October Comet's Tale has been printed and posted
Oct 22  Michael Boschat and Xavier Leprette discover a sungrazer on C3 (SOHO-209)
Oct 24  Sungrazer found on C3 by James Danaher and Terry Lovejoy (SOHO-210)
        Also visible in C2
Oct 24  Michael Oates discovers three archival sungrazers from October 1999
Oct 25  Michael Oates discovers a real time sungrazer in C2
Oct 26  Michael Oates discovers an archival sungrazer from November 1999 (SOHO-215)
Oct 27  Michael Oates discoveres another two sungrazers from November 1999
Oct 25  Michael Oates discovers a real time sungrazer in C2
Oct 26  Michael Oates discovers an archival sungrazer from November 1999.  SOHO-215 
        This is SOHO's 200th Kreutz group comet
Oct 27  Michael Oates discoveres another two sungrazers from November 1999
Oct 30  Four SOHO comets numbered (2000 U1 - U4)
Oct 31  Mercury is currently visible on LASCO C3 frames
Nov 01  LINEAR discovers 15th mag comet 2000 U5.  It will fade
Nov 01  Tichy (Klet) discovers faint periodic comet 2000 U6
Nov 03  Two SOHO archive comets discovered
Nov 04  Five SOHO archive comets and one real time comet discovered
Nov 05  Michael Oates discovers another SOHO archive comet
Nov 06  Another real time discovery and three more archive ones
Nov 07  Three more SOHO archive comets discovered
Nov 08  Two more SOHO archive comets discovered
Nov 10  Xavier Leprette discovers a SOHO archive comet
Nov 11  73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann recovered after solar conjunction at 13 mag
Nov 11  Michael Oates discovers a real time SOHO comet
Nov 13  Orbits for 9 SOHO comets published
Nov 14  Xavier Leprette discovers another SOHO archival comet
Nov 16  I depart for Antarctica
Nov 25  LINEAR discovers faint comet 2000 SO253
Nov 28  Comet Utsunomiya-Jones 2000 W1 discovered
Dec 02  Several nuclei of 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 observed 
Dec 02  Orbits for 9 SOHO comets published
Dec 05  Orbits for 9 SOHO comets published (total 246)
Dec 05  41P/Tuttle-Giacobini-Kresak reported in outburst at 10th mag
Dec 15  George Alcock died, aged 88
Dec 16  Faint distant comet Tubbiolo 2000 Y1 discovered
Dec 18  Possibility of outburst of Ursid meteors on December 22
Dec 20  LINEAR (54) 2000 WM1 announced.  It could become naked eye in Nov.
Dec 22  Ursids outburst at a ZHR of 50.
Dec 23  2000 SO253 identified with 1963 W1 P/Anderson-LINEAR
Dec 23  2 SOHO comets announced (248)
Dec 27  Discovery of faint comet 2000 Y2 by Skiff (LONEOS)
Dec 30  Discovery of faint comet 2000 Y3 by Scotti (Spacewatch)