[meteorite-list] SOHO sees its 750th comet

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:31:11 2004
Message-ID: <200404061741.KAA12143_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://www.esa.int/export/esaCP/SEMSJV57ESD_index_0.html

SOHO sees its 750th comet
European Space Agency
6 April 2004

On 22 March 2004, the ESA/NASA SOHO solar observatory spacecraft
discovered its 750th comet since its launch in December 1995.
 
SOHO comet 750 was discovered by the German amateur astronomer
Sebastian Hönig, one of the most successful SOHO comet-hunters.
It was a part of the Kreutz family of 'sungrazing' comets, which
usually evaporate in the hot solar atmosphere.
 
The LASCO coronagraph on SOHO, designed for
seeing outbursts from the Sun, uses a mask to block
the bright rays from the visible surface. It monitors a
large volume of surrounding space and, as a result,
has become the most prolific 'discoverer' of comets in
the history of astronomy. Its images are displayed on
the internet.

More than 75% of the discoveries have come from
amateur comet hunters around the world, watching
these freely available SOHO images on the internet.
So, anyone with internet access can take part in the
hunt for new comets and be a 'comet discoverer'!
Click here for information about how to search for
your own comet: http://ares.nrl.navy.mil/sungrazer/
 
SOHO is a mission of international co-operation
between ESA and NASA, launched in December
1995. Every day SOHO sends thrilling images from
which research scientists learn about the Sun's
nature and behaviour. Experts around the world use
SOHO images and data to help them predict 'space
weather' events affecting our planet.
Received on Tue 06 Apr 2004 01:41:43 PM PDT