Series of Sungrazer Comets with SOHO - March 2010

On March 12th, 2010 SpaceWeather.com reported that the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) watched as a comet plunged into the sun and disappeared. Upon closer inspection of the SOHO images I found that it was part of a series of at least four comet fragments following the same trajectory. The highlights in this video are my own addition to make the comets more visible.

In the first view from the SOHO Lasco C3 camera (wider angle) a much smaller, previously unseen comet precedes the brighter comet. Then, as reported, the bright main comet is seen plunging towards the sun. Shortly following it is a faint pair of comets headed on the same path, which, at the time of publishing this video, have yet to reach the sun.

In the second view from the SOHO Lasco C2 camera (close-up angle) the first faint comet is briefly seen before being disintegrated by the sun's gravity, followed shortly by the much brighter second comet. The third and fourth pair of comets have yet to enter the field of view of the Lasco C2 camera.

You can follow the remaining comet fragments at the SOHO website with near-realtime data: Sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov and follow related stories at http://www.spaceweather.com/