(meteorobs) Sungazing comet

[meteoreye at comcast.net]

That's Mercury reaching inferior conjunction (between the earth and sun). It's fading because it is becoming a thinner and thinner cresecent (it's backlit). Currently it's only 0.5% illuminated. Than x for pointing that out! 



Wayne 
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steven Kolins" What's the spot moving on the top left? Looks like something swung by SOHO on the way generally towards the sun (not the comet in the bottom left/center) 

It's in the view at LASCO C3 in time with the comet but not the same object. 

See http://sohodata.nascom.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/soho_movie_theater - pick 2009-12-31 and 2010-01-04 and look at frames from about 52 on and you'll see something little bright moving into the picture and getting dimmer is if moving further away and ends up nearly over the sun and still visible. 

Perhaps something in the SOHO lagrange  point?