SOLWIND 3
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 July 19 and 20. The left-hand image is the second image showing the comet. This image was obtained about 5 minutes after the first image, which was of poor quality. The right-hand image was among the best showing the comet. A short time after the right-hand image was obtained, the comet faded as it neared the sun.
Discovery
This was the third 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 R. Seal, R. Chaimson, and W. Funk also made up the discovery team. Overall, the comet was seen on over 20 images, but only 6 were of a quality that enabled a fairly accurate measured position. The earliest measured position was obtained on 1981 July 19.999 and showed the comet situated 9.56 solar radii from the sun. The last measured position was obtained on July 20.162 and showed the comet situated 6.30 solar radii from the sun. The brightness was estimated as -0.8 when located about 8 solar radii from the sun. The comet was viewed from a nearly head-on aspect, as compared to SOLWIND 1 and SOLWIND 2, so the tail is less impressive and gave the comet a teardrop shape.
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 July 20.336 TT at a distance of only 0.00612 AU.
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