Discovery

     This comet was found by the Coronagraph/Polarimeter instrument of the Solar Maximum Mission satellite. It was discovered by Sharon A. Beck (High Altitude Observatory, Boulder) during a routine investigation of the sun's corona. Only two images were obtained, the first exposed on 1987 October 5.90863 and the second on October 5.97406. The total brightness was estimated as magnitude 0.
     Using Beck's measured positions enabled B. G. Marsden to compute a parabolic orbit which indicated the comet was a member of the sungrazing family. He revealed the comet passed perihelion on 1987 October 6.069 at a distance of only 0.00538 AU. The comet did not survive its close passage by the sun.