SOLWIND 2
Copyright © 1981 by Naval Research Lab (Washington, D.C.)
These images were obtained with the SOLWIND white light coronagraph aboard the Air Force Space Test Program satellite P78-1 on 1981 January 26 and 27. The left-hand image is the first image showing the comet, while the right-hand image was the last showing the comet's head. The tail remained visible for several hours after the head disappeared.
Discovery
This was the second comet found on images obtained by the SOLWIND instrument aboard satellite P78-1. D. J. Michels (Naval Research Laboratory) reported the discovery and noted that N. Sheeley, O. Roberts and F. Harlow also made up the discovery team. The comet first appeared on an image exposed on 1981 January 26.860 and was last seen on January 27.021. Overall, the comet was seen on 15 images. The comet was 8.07 solar radii distant from the sun on the first image, and had moved to within 3.05 solar radii by the time the final image was obtained. The comet appeared to temporarily fade as it approached the sun, with the magnitude at about 8 solar radii being estimated as 0.0. The brightness dropped to magnitude 1.1 by the time the comet reached about 5.5 solar radii and then brightened to -2.5 or brighter when near 3 solar radii.
B. G. Marsden computed a parabolic orbit which indicated the comet was a member of the sungrazing family. He revealed the comet passed perihelion on 1981 January 27.100 TT at a distance of only 0.00792 AU.
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