SOHO Comets 2003

The table list the provisional SOHO number for the comet, the day and month of the first (discovery) observation, the year and comet identification, the LASCO coronagraph on which it was discovered, the discoverer (names in brackets are independent discoverers), with the number of their discoveries given in brackets following the name, and finally the date of discovery. Note that provisional numbers may be changed if the comet is not confirmed and do not necessarily match those given on the SOHO web pages.

SOHO Observed  Des C  G  Observer				Discovered
578 06/01/2003 A3  C3 K  Rob Matson (24) & Dave Evans (14)	(January 6)
U   14/05/2002     C2 K  Dave Evans				(January 12)
U   20/05/2002     C2 K  Dave Evans				(January 12)
X   13/06/2002     C2 K  Dave Evans				(January 12)
579 14/01/2003 A4  C3 K  Rob Matson (25)			(January 15)
580 15/01/2003 A5  C3 K  Rob Matson (26)			(January 15)
581 16/01/2003 B1  C2 Y  XingMing Zhou (26)			(January 16)
582 18/01/2003 B2  C3 K  Michael Oates (142)			(January 19)
583 03/02/2003 C1  C3 K  Xavier Leprette (78)			(February 3)
584 08/02/2003 C2  C3 K  Dave Evans (15) [Xavier Leprette]	(February 9)
585 10/02/2003 C3  C3 K  Rainer Kracht (89)			(February 10)
U   12/02/2003     C3 K  Rob Matson     			(February 12)
586 13/02/2003 C4  C3 K  John Sachs (9)				(February 13)
587 15/02/2003 C5  C3 K  John Sachs (10)			(February 15)
588 28/02/2003 D1  C3 K  Xavier Leprette (80)			(February 28)
589 04/03/2003 E2  C3 K  Dave Evans (16)			(March 4)
590 11/03/2003 E3  C3 K  S Hoenig [Leprette, Sachs]		(March 11)
591 15/03/2003 E4  C3 K  John Sachs (12)			(March 15)
592 19/03/2003 F3  C3 K  Michael Oates (143)			(March 19)
593 25/03/2003 F4  C3 K  Xavier Leprette [Tony Scarmato]	(March 25)
594 29/03/2003 F5  C3 K  Rainer Kracht (90)			(March 29)
595 02/04/2003 G4  C2 K  Xavier Leprette (83)			(April 2)
596 04/04/2003 G3  C3 O  John Sachs (13)			(April 4)
597 23/04/2003 H8  C2 K  XingMing Zhou (27)			(April 23)
598 24/04/2003 H9  C2 K  XingMing Zhou [Xavier Leprette]	(April 24)
599 27/04/2003 H5  C2 Y  Rainer Kracht (91)			(April 27)
600 28/04/2003 H10 C2 K  Tony Hoffman [Rob Matson]		(April 28)
601 29/04/2003 H11 C2 K  Rainer Kracht [Xavier Leprette]	(April 29)
602 30/04/2003 H6  C2 O  Rainer Kracht (93)			(April 30)
603 30/04/2003 H7  C2 O  Rainer Kracht (94)			(April 30)
604 30/04/2003 H12 C2 K  Rob Matson (28)			(May 2)
605 01/05/2003 J2  C2 K  Rob Matson (29)			(May 2)
606 05/05/2003 J3  C2 K  Rainer Kracht (95)			(May 5)
607 05/05/2003 J4  C2 K  Rob Matson (30)			(May 5)
X   05/05/2003     C2 K  Rob Matson     			(May 5)
608 08/05/2003 J5  C2 K  Pavel Shkreby [DongHua Chen]		(May 8)
609 09/05/2003 J6  C2 K  Rainer Kracht & John Sachs [M Boschat]	(May 9)
610 14/05/2003 J7  C3 K  Heiner Otterstedt (1)			(May 15)
611 15/05/2003 J8  C3 K  Rainer Kracht (96)			(May 15)
612 15/05/2003 J9  C2 K  Rainer Kracht (97)			(May 15)
613 21/05/2003 K5  C2 Y  Xavier Leprette (86)			(May 21)
614 22/05/2003 K7  C3 K  Rainer Kracht (98)			(May 22)
615 23/05/2003 K9  C3 K  XingMing Zhou [R Kracht, X Leprette]	(May 23)
616 22/05/2003 K8  C2 K  David Evans (17)			(May 24)
617 26/05/2003 K3  C3 O  Heiner Otterstedt (2)			(May 26)
618 26/05/2003 K10 C3 K  Pavel Shkreby [Mike Boschat]		(May 26)
619 27/05/2003 K11 C2 K  DongHua Chen 				(May 27)
620 29/05/2003 K12 C2 K  Tony Hoffman (4)			(May 29)
621 30/05/2003 K6  C2 Y  XingMing Zhou (30)			(May 30)
X   31/05/2003     C2 K  Tony Hoffman				(May 31)
X   31/05/2003     C2 K  Pavel Shkreby				(May 31)
622 02/06/2003 L3  C2 K  Xavier Leprette (88)			(Jun 02)
623 05/06/2003 L4  C2 K  Rainer Kracht & Maik Meyer		(Jun 05)
624 08/06/2003 L5  C3 K  Rainer Kracht (101)			(Jun 08)
625 09/06/2003 L6  C2 K  Pavel Shkreby (8)			(Jun 09)
626 13/06/2003 L7  C2 K  Michael Boschat (36)			(Jun 13)
627 15/06/2003 L8  C2 K  Rainer Kracht (102)			(Jun 15)
628 16/06/2003 M1  C2 K  Rainer Kracht, K Cernis & D Evans	(Jun 16)
629 17/06/2003 M2  C2 K  Rainer Kracht & Pavel Shkreby		(Jun 17)
630 17/06/2003 M3  C3 K  John Sachs (15)			(Jun 17)
631 18/06/2003 M4  C2 K  Rainer Kracht & XingMing Zhou		(Jun 18)
632 19/06/2003 M5  C3 K  XingMing Zhou [Note below]		(Jun 19)
633 19/06/2003 M6  C2 K  Rainer Kracht (106)			(Jun 19)
634 20/06/2003 M7  C2 K  XingMing Zhou (33)			(Jun 20)
635 22/06/2003 M8  C2 K  XingMing Zhou (34)			(Jun 23)
636 23/06/2003 M9  C2 K  XingMing Zhou (35)			(Jun 23)
637 23/06/2003 M10 C2 K  XingMing Zhou (36)			(Jun 23)
638 23/06/2003 M11 C2 K  Xavier Leprette (89)			(Jun 23)
639 23/06/2003 M12 C2 K  Rainer Kracht & Xavier Leprette	(Jun 23)
640 23/05/2003 K13 C2 K  Dave Evans (19)			(Jun 28)
X   19/05/2003     C2 K  Dave Evans				(Jun 28)
U   22/06/2003     C3 K  Dave Evans				(Jun 30)
641 05/07/2003 N1  C2 K  Xavier Leprette & J Sachs [R Kracht]	(Jul 05)
X   06/07/2003     C3 K  Pavel Shkreby				(Jul 07)
642 13/07/2003 N2  C3 K  John Sachs (17)			(Jul 13)
643 18/07/2003 O4  C3 K  John Sachs (18)			(Jul 18)
644 20/07/2003 O5  C3 K  John Sachs (19)			(Jul 20)
645 24/07/2003 O6  C3 K  XingMing Zhou (37)			(Jul 24)
646 25/07/2003 O7  C3 K  Mike Boschat (37)			(Jul 25)
647 30/07/2003 O8  C3 K  John Sachs (20)			(Jul 30)
648 02/08/2003 P1  C3 K  [Boschat] & Tony Hoffman		(Aug 02)
649 03/08/2003 P2  C3 K  Mike Boschat (39)			(Aug 03)
650 05/08/2003 P3  C3 K  Tony Hoffman & Mike Boschat		(Aug 05)
651 20/08/2003 Q1  C2 O  Tony Hoffman (7)			(Aug 20)
652 23/08/2003 Q2  C3 K  John Sachs (21)			(Aug 23)
653 23/08/2003 Q3  C3 K  John Sachs (22)			(Aug 23)
654 24/08/2003 Q4  C3 K  Mike Boschat (41)			(Aug 25)
675 25/08/2003 Q10 C3 K  Mike Boschat (42)			(Aug 25)
655 26/08/2003 Q5  C3 K  John Sachs (23)			(Aug 26)
656 26/08/2003 Q6  C2 D  Rainer Kracht (109)			(Aug 26)
657 28/08/2003 Q7  C3 K  Mike Boschat (43)			(Aug 28)
658 29/08/2003 Q8  C3 K  Mike Boschat (44)			(Aug 29)
659 30/08/2003 Q9  C3 K  John Sachs (24)			(Aug 30)
660 05/09/2003 R2  C3 K  XingMing Zhou (38)			(Sep 05)
661 08/09/2003 R4  C2 O  Kazimieras Cernis			(Sep 08)
662 08/09/2003 R3  C3 K  John Sachs (25)			(Sep 08)
663 09/09/2003 R5  C2 O  Rainer Kracht (110)			(Sep 09)
664 18/09/2003 S5  C3 K  Xavier Leprette (92)			(Sep 18)
665 18/09/2003 S6  C3 K  Mike Boschat (45)			(Sep 18)
666 21/09/2003 S7  C3 K  John Sachs (26)			(Sep 21)
668 25/09/2003 S9  C2 O  Rainer Kracht (111)			(Sep 25)
667 25/09/2003 S8  C3 K  John Sachs (27)			(Sep 25)
669 08/10/2003 T5  C3 K  John Sachs (28)			(Oct 08)
670 08/10/2003 T8  C2 K  Rob Matson (31)			(Oct 08)
671 09/10/2003 T6  C3 K  John Sachs (29)			(Oct 09)
672 09/10/2003 T7  C3 K  John Sachs (30)			(Oct 09)
674 09/10/2003 T9  C2 K  XingMing Zhou (39)			(Oct 12)
676 13/10/2003 T10 C3 K  John Sachs (31)			(Oct 13)
677 15/10/2003 T11 C2 K  Mike Boschat (46)			(Oct 15)
678 17/10/2003 U5  C2 K  Xavier Leprette (93)			(Oct 17)
X   16/10/2003     C2 K  Rob Matson				(Oct 17)
679 20/10/2003 U6  C3 K  John Sachs (32)			(Oct 20)
680 21/10/2003 U4  C2 Y  Rob Matson (32)			(Oct 21)
681 23/10/2003 U7  C2 K  XingMing Zhou (40)			(Oct 23)
682 25/10/2003 U8  C2 K  Xavier Leprette (94)			(Oct 25)
683 26/10/2003 U9  C3 K  Jim Danaher, Mike Boschat, John Sachs	(Oct 26)
684 01/11/2003 V2  C2 K  Rainer Kracht, Xavier Leprette		(Nov 01)
685 03/11/2003 V3  C3 K  Mike Boschat (48)			(Nov 03)
U   03/11/2003     C2 K  Jim Danaher				(Nov 03)
686 04/11/2003 V4  C2 K  Mike Boschat (49)			(Nov 04)
687 05/11/2003 V5  C3 K  Mike Boschat (50)			(Nov 05)
673 09/10/2003 T12 C3 O  Jim Danaher				(Nov 06)
688 09/11/2003 V6  C2 K  Tony Hoffman, XingMing Zhou		(Nov 09)
689 11/11/2003 V7  C2 K  Rob Matson, Rainer Kracht		(Nov 11)
690 13/11/2003 V8  C3 K  John Sachs (34)			(Nov 13)
691 16/11/2003 W3  C2 K  XingMing Zhou (42)			(Nov 16)
692 21/11/2003 W4  C2 K  Dave Evans (20)                        (Nov 21)
693 22/11/2003 W5  C2 K  Mike Boschat (51)			(Nov 22)
694 25/11/2003 W6  C3 K  John Sachs (35)			(Nov 25)
695 27/11/2003 W7  C2 K  XingMing Zhou (43)			(Nov 27)
696 29/11/2003 W2  C2 Y  XingMing Zhou (44)			(Nov 29)
697 29/11/2003 W8  C2 K  Gregg Gallina				(Nov 29)
698 30/11/2003 X1  C2 K  Tony Hoffman (9)			(Nov 30)
699 01/12/2003 X2  C2 K  Mike Boschat (52)			(Dec 01)
700 02/12/2003 X3  C2 K  XingMing Zhou (45)			(Dec 02)
701 04/12/2003 X4  C2 K  Rainer Kracht (114)			(Dec 04)
702 04/12/2003 X5  C2 K  Mike Boschat (53)			(Dec 04)
X   05/12/2003     C3 K  Rob Matson				(Dec 05)
703 06/12/2003 X6  C2 K  XingMing Zhou, T Hoffman, X Leprette	(Dec 07)
704 07/12/2003 X7  C2 K  Mike Boschat (54)			(Dec 07)
705 08/12/2003 X8  C2 K  Tony Hoffman (11)			(Dec 08)
706 08/12/2003 X9  C2 K  XingMing Zhou, Xavier Leprette		(Dec 09)
707 11/12/2003 X10 C2 K  Xavier Leprette, XingMing Zhou		(Dec 11)
708 13/12/2003 X11 C2 K  XingMing Zhou (49)			(Dec 13)
709 19/12/2003 Y2  C2 K  Xavier Leprette (99)			(Dec 19)
710 19/12/2003 Y3  C2 K  Rob Matson (34)			(Dec 19)
711 20/12/2003 Y1  C2 Y  Maik Meyer				(Dec 20)
712 20/12/2003 Y4  C2 K  Rainer Kracht (115)			(Dec 20)
713 22/12/2003 Y5  C2 K  Mike Boschat [Rainer Kracht]		(Dec 22)
714 23/12/2003 Y6  C3 K  John Sachs, Rainer Kracht, X Leprette	(Dec 23)
715 24/12/2003 Y7  C3 K  Rainer Kracht (118)			(Dec 24)
716 25/12/2003 Y8  C2 K  XingMing Zhou, Mike Boschat		(Dec 25)
717 26/12/2003 Y10 C2 K  Michael Oates (144)			(Dec 26)
718 26/12/2003 Y11 C2 K  Rob Matson (35)			(Dec 26)
719 25/12/2003 Y9  C2 K  Rob Matson (36)			(Dec 26)
720 27/12/2003 Y12 C2 K  Rob Matson, Pavel Shkreby (10)		(Dec 27)
721 27/12/2003 Y13 C3 K  XingMing Zhou [Rob Matson]		(Dec 27)
=   28/12/2003     C2 K  John Sachs (37)			(Dec 28) 
Note this was originally reported as being in C3 frames, but actually refers to entry in C2
722 27/12/2003 Y14 C2 K  Rob Matson (39)			(Dec 27)
723 31/12/2003 Y15 C3 K  Rob Matson (40)			(Dec 31)   
The column headed Des is the half month or other designation of the comet. The column headed C gives the SOHO instrument (C2 or C3 for the LASCO coronagraphs or SW for SWAN) that the comet was discovered in. The column headed G indicates if it is a Kreutz group (K), Meyer group (Y), Marsden group (D), Kracht (R) or other comet (O). P in the SOHO number column indicates the discovery is pending, C indicates that it is confirmed, but not yet numbered, U indicates that is was not confirmed, X that it was confirmed, but there were insufficient observations.

Note that my observer count also includes X/ comets which are not counted as confirmed comets by Doug Biesecker. Where two or more people report discoveries nearly simultaneously, up to the first three observers are credited here. Where discoverers are clearly not following the SOHO or BAA Comet Section guidelines, they are not credited here at all; this applies to SOHO-632, where the first reporter gave only two non-standard positions. SOHO do however credit this discovery to the first reporter, M Boschat. The same first reporter of SOHO-648 again gave non standard positions. The order of discoverers for the comets on October 26 and December 25 is in order of achieving the reporting guidelines, ie 4 positions.

It seems probable that there are further non group comets to be found in the archival data.


Published by Jonathan Shanklin. Jon Shanklin - jds@ast.cam.ac.uk