Paper: astro-ph/0509168
Date: Wed, 7 Sep 2005 13:50:21 GMT (227kb)

Title: Identification of a new short-period comet near the Sun

Authors: Sebastian F. Hoenig

Comments: 5 pages, 1 figure; accepted for publication in A&A
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We present the identification of comet C/1999 R1 (SOHO) with comet C/2003 R5
(SOHO). Both apparitions were only observed with the Solar and Heliospheric
Observatory (SOHO) at distances smaller than 0.1 AU from the sun with the LASCO
coronagraphs onboard the spacecraft. Although SOHO comets usually have poor
orbital coverage, the 1999 and 2003 arcs are sufficient to generate a link that
seems to satisfy all observations. We also analyze comet C/2002 R5 (SOHO) which
has similar orbital elements. A fragmentation scenario is proposed and
discussed which would support the linkage of C/1999 R1 and C/2003 R5 and thus
its short periodic nature.

\\ ( http://arXiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0509168 , 227kb)