Can anyone discover a SOHO comet?
Yes! All you need is an internet connection, suitable software and a good understanding of what SOHO comets look like. Oh, and lots of spare time on your hands! • What software do I need? Most standard photo editing software is fine. You need the ability to display gif images and find the pixel value of any given point in the images. Software that allows you to create an animation and ‘flip’ through images, is a bonus. If you don’t have the software, you can use the java tool on the LASCO javagifs page to measure positions! Nearly all (over 99%) of SOHO’s comets are discovered in LASCO C3 or C2 images. Sometimes, bright comets can be seen in both C3 and C2 images. A very small number of comets have been discovered in SWAN images, but these are extremely difficult images to interpret, and are best left to very experienced astronomers! • Where do I find the latest images? The best place to look for individual images is here on SOHO’s homepage. Latest images and movies are also available
