# Comet Names....Quick! Help me look good! **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 9, 2000, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comet-names-quick-help-me-look-good/6963 "2000-02-09T15:57:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Vestal\_Blue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5e9695/32.png) [@Vestal\_Blue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vestal_Blue)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comet-names-quick-help-me-look-good/6963/1 "2000-02-09T15:57:00Z")
Hey gang, I need some authentic comet names ASAP; any help would be greatly appreciated. I _don’t_ need: Halley, Hale-Bopp, Shoemaker Levy 9. Thanks! * * * VB I could never eat a mouse raw…their little feet are probably real cold going down. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comet-names-quick-help-me-look-good/6963/2 "2000-02-09T16:34:00Z")
[http://comets.amsmeteors.org/](http://comets.amsmeteors.org/) (Click on **Periodic** and follow the links on that page for a general list or click **Now Visible** to find things currently observable.) Another page is [http://www.solarviews.com/eng/comet.htm](http://www.solarviews.com/eng/comet.htm) I suspect, although I haven’t checked it out, that going to [www.britannica.com/](http://www.britannica.com/) and entering _comet_ would also bring back some interesting info. Having pointed these out, I will also point out that I did no more work than to go to [www.google.com/](http://www.google.com/) and enter the word _comets_ to find these sites. We generally need somewhat tougher questions in **General Questions**. * * * Tom~ ---
**Author:** ![RussellM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed8c4c/32.png) [@RussellM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RussellM)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comet-names-quick-help-me-look-good/6963/3 "2000-02-09T16:46:00Z")
tomndebb I don’t think there is any easy way to filter out the lazy, illiterate, or those who confuse WAGs with knowledge. Russell ---
**Author:** ![Prose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Prose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prose)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comet-names-quick-help-me-look-good/6963/4 "2000-02-09T16:57:00Z")
here’s another site for ya: [http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/](http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/) or add comet at the end of that. * * * I am a fire whose flames lick and spit at the boundless sky forever desiring wonderous consummation -me ---
**Author:** ![Vestal\_Blue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5e9695/32.png) [@Vestal\_Blue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vestal_Blue)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comet-names-quick-help-me-look-good/6963/5 "2000-02-09T17:10:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by RussellM: > \*\*tomndebb > I don’t think there is any easy way to filter out the lazy, illiterate, or those who confuse WAGs with knowledge. > > Russell\*\* Ouch! I was just asking for parallel research; I am not a comet buff. If you have nothing constructive to offer, don’t post. As for being a tough question, I didn’t expect it to be. I was unaware that the only questions looking for factual answers that could be posted in GQ were hard ones. Thanks Tomndeb for your links; I was checking out Britannica before I posted, and I will check out the others. So stick it in your ear, Russell. * * * VB I could never eat a mouse raw…their little feet are probably real cold going down. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Vestal\_Blue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5e9695/32.png) [@Vestal\_Blue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vestal_Blue)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comet-names-quick-help-me-look-good/6963/6 "2000-02-09T17:18:00Z")
Thanks to you too, Prose. * * * VB I could never eat a mouse raw…their little feet are probably real cold going down. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![RussellM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed8c4c/32.png) [@RussellM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RussellM)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comet-names-quick-help-me-look-good/6963/7 "2000-02-09T17:34:00Z")
Vestal Blue: Thanks for your constructive offering. Perhaps my message came over a little strong. The great Cecil has, himself, pointed out many times that most of the questions from the Teeming Millions could be answered by anyone prepared to expend the tiny amount of effort required to look it up for themselves. Granted you are not a comet expert, but then neither am I, and I suspect that tomndebb is (are) not either. On the other hand, many people, when faced with the challenge of coming up with new information to impress others, may consider looking through known data sources before sending out a general call for someone else to do the work. Russell ---
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comet-names-quick-help-me-look-good/6963/8 "2000-02-09T17:38:00Z")
Comet Kahoutek, Comet West…uh, uh! Ug! Catch me without my field books! For a source, lists of meteor showers should give the names of the respective associated comets. Many field guides have this in a tabulated format. ---
**Author:** ![Diamond](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e79b87/32.png) [@Diamond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diamond)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comet-names-quick-help-me-look-good/6963/9 "2000-02-09T17:58:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by RussellM: > \*\*Vestal Blue: > > Thanks for your constructive offering. > > Perhaps my message came over a little strong. The great Cecil has, himself, pointed out many times that most of the questions from the Teeming Millions could be answered by anyone prepared to expend the tiny amount of effort required to look it up for themselves. Granted you are not a comet expert, but then neither am I, and I suspect that tomndebb is (are) not either. > > On the other hand, many people, when faced with the challenge of coming up with new information to impress others, may consider looking through known data sources before sending out a general call for someone else to do the work. > > Russell > > \*\* I apologize, as I did not make myself clear; I was not trying to garner brownie points for myself on the backs of others. I am quite capable of performing my own research, however, I was in a time crunch and was just looking to ‘force multiply’. The title of this thread was made rather tongue in cheek. Thanks, Jinx! * * * ---
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2000, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comet-names-quick-help-me-look-good/6963/10 "2000-02-10T06:07:00Z")
So I guess we now know that Vestal Blue = Diamond. ---
**Author:** ![Vestal\_Blue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5e9695/32.png) [@Vestal\_Blue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vestal_Blue)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comet-names-quick-help-me-look-good/6963/11 "2000-02-09T20:37:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by mouthbreather: > **So I guess we now know that Vestal Blue = Diamond.** You’re quick! And before you think I was trying to be sneaky, my computer dumped VB and I had forgotten the password, so I fell back on Diamond. Once I got VB back, I was posting with both for a couple of days, before I was informed by Tubadiva that 2 accounts are a no no. * * * VB I could never eat a mouse raw…their little feet are probably real cold going down. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comet-names-quick-help-me-look-good/6963/12 "2000-02-09T21:57:00Z")
VB, you aren’t the same Diamond that’s been posting [here](http://www.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum5/HTML/000630-2.html), are you? Say it ain’t so, Blue. Say it ain’t so. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comet-names-quick-help-me-look-good/6963/13 "2000-02-09T22:36:00Z")
From [http://www.seds.org/billa/tnp/names.html](http://www.seds.org/billa/tnp/names.html) comes this thrilling bit of comet information: > [@](#): > > Note that whole comet designation system was revamped starting in the beginning of 1995. The main points of the new scheme are: > > 1.the provisional designation system now closely matchs the designation system for minor planets. The first comet discovered > in the first half of 1995 Jan. is designated 1995 A1, the second 1995 A2, etc. > 2.long-period comets and one-apparition periodic comets receive only a provisional designation – there is no equivalent of the > Roman numeral designation. > 3.upon recovery at a second apparition (or following through aphelion) periodic comets receive a sequential number. E.g., > P/Halley is 1P. > 4.routine recoveries of periodic comets do not receive provisional designations. > 5.the nature of the comet orbit is indicated by a prefix: P/ for periodic comets, C/ for long-periodic comets, D/ for defunct comets > (e.g., 1993e) and X/ for uncertain comets. Additionally, A/ is used to indicate that the object is a minor planet. > 6.comets continue to be named in general terms for their discoverers ensuring fairness and simplicity. > 7.Provisional comet designations are assigned by the CBAT. Permanent comet numbers are assigned by the Minor Planet > Center. > [@](#): > > Some examples of new comet designations: > > C/1995 Q2 (Hartley-Drinkwater) > P/1994 P1-A (Machholz 2) Fragment A of a split comet > P/1996 A1 (Jedicke) New periodic comet > 125P Routine observation of periodic comet Those comet namers are a wild bunch, eh? By the way, if you have the chance, check out the main part of this site. One of my favorite on the net, especially if you’re interested in astromony but not NASA level interested. * * * “I guess one person can make a difference, although most of the time they probably shouldn’t.” ---
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comet-names-quick-help-me-look-good/6963/14 "2000-02-09T22:37:00Z")
Vestal/Diamond, when you say > [@](#): > > I was posting with both for a **couple of days** , before I was informed by Tubadiva that 2 accounts are a no no. of course you mean 71 days. right? ---
**Author:** ![Vestal\_Blue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5e9695/32.png) [@Vestal\_Blue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vestal_Blue)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comet-names-quick-help-me-look-good/6963/15 "2000-02-09T22:40:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by mouthbreather: > \*\*Vestal/Diamond, > > when you say > > of course you mean 71 days. > > right? > > \*\* Mmmm… Nope. ‘a couple of days’ using _both_ names. * * * VB I could never eat a mouse raw…their little feet are probably real cold going down. :rolleyes: