C/2010 H3 (SOHO)

This is the first Marsden group comet that has ever been observe by STEREO/SECCHI. The comet was reported by Jiangao Ruan (Guangxi Normal University, China) in realtime C2 images from Apr 19 2010. It may be the third apparition of comet C/2004 V9 = 2010 H3 (SOHO). Rainer Kracht (Elmshorn, Germany) notifies fellows about the predicted return of 1999 J6 = 2004 V9 is due around May 1 2010, when it should become visible in SOHO data. It may be right this object, and it could also be another fragment.

Those who are interested in the orbit of comet C/2010 H3 could consult MPEC 2010-H37.

Comet C/2010 H3 in HI1a Images

Animation from 2010/04/20 15:29 UTC - 2010/04/21 07:29 UTC
each sequence 40 min apart;
original size and cropped;
processed by W.-t. Xu;
Courtesy of STEREO/SECCHI

same sequence as the above one;
2x resized and cropped;
processed by W.-t. Xu;
Courtesy of STEREO/SECCHI

I'll attempt to do astrometry of this comet in SOHO data within a few days if having enough time.

Observations of C/2010 H3 (SOHO): computed with Astrometrica

COD C49
MEA W.-t. Xu
NET UCAC-2
     CK10H030 C2010 04 20.65209 06 56 55.63 +24 25 42.7          9.2 N      C49
     CK10H030 C2010 04 20.67987 06 57 32.94 +24 26 31.9         9.3 N      C49
     CK10H030 C2010 04 20.70765 06 58 05.92 +24 28 14.8          9.3 N      C49
     CK10H030 C2010 04 20.73543 06 58 45.06 +24 28 43.7          9.0 N      C49
     CK10H030 C2010 04 20.76321 06 59 20.88 +24 29 24.3         9.7 N      C49
     CK10H030 C2010 04 20.79098 06 59 57.19 +24 30 08.3         9.6 N      C49
     CK10H030 C2010 04 20.81876 07 00 31.88 +24 30 56.6          9.9 N      C49
     CK10H030 C2010 04 20.84654 07 01 07.21 +24 31 14.7          9.5 N      C49
     CK10H030 C2010 04 20.87432 07 01 34.96 +24 31 38.6         9.4 N      C49
     CK10H030 C2010 04 20.90209 07 02 10.53 +24 32 21.2         9.8 N      C49
     CK10H030 C2010 04 21.01321 07 04 27.13 +24 34 51.2         10.6 N      C49
     CK10H030 C2010 04 21.04098 07 05 01.83 +24 36 05.5          11.7 N      C49
     CK10H030 C2010 04 21.09654 07 06 04.31 +24 36 17.8          11.5 N      C49
     CK10H030 C2010 04 21.20765 07 08 07.32 +24 37 32.2          10.9 N      C49
     CK10H030 C2010 04 21.23543 07 08 38.01 +24 37 42.4          11.3 N      C49
----- end -----

The light curve produced by Comets for Windows with all the data above is displayed below. The magnitude formula is m1 = 6.95 + 5lg d + 32265.07 lg r, where d is the distance from geocenter to the comet, and r is the distance from heliocenter to the comet (both in AU). We can see the magnitude dropped sheer after its perihelion. Its performance can be revealed dependent upon data reducted from SOHO images.

Gauss curve produced by Astrometrica. The total PSF is using an aperture circle of 2 x 2 pixel around the brightest pixel. We can see the computed Gauss curve in the right and the real pixels distributing somewhat deviating from the ideal line. The Fit RMS, which inlays under the Gauss curve, is the deviation from the ideal line.

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