SOLWIND 6
Copyright © 1983 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 1983 September 24 and 25. The left-hand image is the first image showing the comet. Gaps in the imaging caused much of this comet's plunge to be missed, so the right-hand image was among the best showing the comet, even though the head had just passed behind the occulting disk.
Discovery
This was the sixth comet found on images obtained by the SOLWIND instrument aboard the P78-1 satellite. The discovery was made by R. Howard, M. Koomen, D. Michels, and N. Sheeley (Naval Research Laboratory). This comet was first seen on 1983 September 24.863 when 8.1 solar radii from the sun. The coma was last detected on September 24.892 when 7.2 solar radii away. On September 25.062, when situated less than 2.5 solar radii away from the sun, the tail was detected for the final time. The comet was described as one of the brightest SOLWIND comets, with only SOLWIND 1 being brighter.
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 1983 September 25.188 TT at a distance of only 0.00753 AU.
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