Sorry, I don't know what the funny-looking object is. It is probably an object in the instrument, perhaps a calibration marker. It is not something in the sky. If it were, the IAU astronomers would have mentioned it and sent out notice to astronomers all over the world to get more observations. The comet described in the IAU Circular is not apparent in the image you posted, but "the northwest corner" cannot be the left side, since that must be either east or west. The funny object is at least an order of magnitude too large to be Saturn, provided everything in the photo is part of the same image and to the same scale. -|Tom|-

Subj: comet Date: 98-05-12 09:44:21 EDT

From: minnie@pe.net (Gary/Robyn Goodwin)

To: IWonder414@aol.com

Liz The picture that you have on eyour site, calling it a comet, is Saturn. The comet that I referred to is not even in the SOHO C3 image that you have selected. Be very careful, I think you're misleading people. Sounds like you have recieved a copy of my newsletter bulletin, where i discuss this issue. Are you on our mailing list? gary THE MILLENNIUM GROUP http://www.millenngroup.com

Subj: Re: comet Date: 98-05-12 20:56:49 EDT From: minnie@pe.net (Goodwin)

To: Iwonder414@aol.com (Iwonder414)

>In a message dated 98-05-12 09:44:21 EDT, you write: > ><< Liz > The picture that you have on eyour site, calling it a comet, is Saturn. > The comet that I referred to is not even in the SOHO C3 image that you > have selected. Be very careful, I think you're misleading people. Sounds > like you have recieved a copy of my newsletter bulletin, where i discuss > this issue. Are you on our mailing list? > gary > THE MILLENNIUM GROUP > http://www.millenngroup.com > >> > >Hi Gary, > >I will be posting Tom Van Flandern's reply to my letter in questioning the >object. I am curious as to what your background in astronomy is. > >Tom makes sense as to what the object may be, but cleary expresses that it is >not Saturn. > >Thanks for writing, >Liz

Liz, the object IS Saturn, there's absolutely no doubt about it. Brother Tom is a pro-NASA ex employee that is still dedicated to the worn out theories of uniformitarianism. I am an amateur astronomer of over thirty years. gary

Subj: Re: comet Date: 98-05-13 09:25:18 EDT From: minnie@pe.net (Goodwin)

To: Iwonder414@aol.com (Iwonder414)

>In a message dated 98-05-12 20:56:49 EDT, you write: > ><< > Liz, > the object IS Saturn, there's absolutely no doubt about it. Brother Tom is > a pro-NASA ex employee that is still dedicated to the worn out theories of > uniformitarianism. I am an amateur astronomer of over thirty years. > gary >> > >Gary, > >This is getting to be quite a story. However, let me point out that I respect >your position. Perhaps you can take a look at this web page from SOHO/LASCO >that is showing the image is MARS. > >http://medicine.wustl.edu/~kronkg/1998j1.html > >Please, let me know your thoughts on this. >Liz

Liz, I have to apologize. Gary Kronk is correct. I checked my program and the planet IS Mars. I was confused because we were just in superior conjunction with Saturn. Not the first time I've made a mistake! Probably not the last! However the planet is not the interesting thing in this pic, it is the comet that apparently no one said they saw coming in. That is no one until our group forced the issue. gary

Hi Gary,

Accepted, and I am happy to give your group the credit is so very much deserves for bringing this comet to light.

Would you care to write a few paragraphs to be posted on how your group knew of this comet before Marsden even posted it?

I am in wonder why your group had to force the issue in the first place, or was it procrastination on Marsdan's part?

It is indeed exciting to have a new comet again. I have been informed of another comet that I also knew nothing about. Stonehouse, discovered by Patrick L. Stonehouse, April 27, 1998.

The animation can be viewed at ORBIT http://www.eagle-net.org/phikent/orbit1a.html

Thank you so much for your input and valuable time.

My door is always open. Thanks, Liz/IWP http://www.eagle-net.org/IWP/enintro.htm  

Subj: Re: The Deep Impact Comet has been identified and just rounded the Sun! Date: 98-05-10 23:47:26 EDT From: bcornet@monmouth.com (Bruce Cornet) Reply-to: bcornet@monmouth.com

To: phikent@aol.com (Kent Steadman), Iwonder414@aol.com (Iwonder414)

Dear Lisa and Kent,

That object bothers me as being Saturn, because unless you purposely oriented the frame so that the rings were horizontal, Saturn's rings are not horizontal to the ecliptic, as far as I know. Secondly, the enlarged and enhanced image implies several separate nuclei, each separated by thinner streams of debris. These brighter objects outside the main object are too bright in my opinion to be rings. And the central object appears to be composed of several smaller objects either still joined or which have not separated a great distance from each other. In other words, what we may be looking at is something like Shumaker-Levi-9 after it was pulled apart by gravitational forces. And yet there does not seem to be a tail. But then again, Shumaker-Levi-9 did not have a tail either once the nucleus was pulled apart.

Whatever that thing is, it is not a planet or star. It is highly unlikely that it is a UFO either.

Perhaps you should contact the astronomer Tom Van Flandern at metares@well.com, and get his opinion.

Where did you get those images? I can't find any link to them.

Yours truly, Bruce

Subj: RE: The Deep Impact Comet has been identified and just rounded the Sun! Date: 98-05-12 08:19:15 EDT From: tvf@mindspring.com (Tom Van Flandern) Reply-to: tvf@mindspring.com (tvf@mindspring.com) To: Iwonder414@aol.com ('Iwonder414')

Liz,

> The New Comet or What Is It?

Sorry, I don't know what the funny-looking object is. It is probably an object in the instrument, perhaps a calibration marker. It is not something in the sky. If it were, the IAU astronomers would have mentioned it and sent out notice to astronomers all over the world to get more observations. The comet described in the IAU Circular is not apparent in the image you posted, but "the northwest corner" cannot be the left side, since that must be either east or west. The funny object is at least an order of magnitude too large to be Saturn, provided everything in the photo is part of the same image and to the same scale. -|Tom|-

Subj: Re: IMAGES: Re: Picture of an Object Next to the Sun ? Date: 98-05-11 04:26:38 EDT

From: Phikent@aol.com (Phikent) Sender: anomalous-images-approval@world.std.com Reply-to: anomalous-images@world.std.com To: anomalous-images@world.std.com

-> Anomalous Images Mailing List

In a message dated 98-05-11 02:34:52 EDT, you write:

<< This looks more like a huge UFO rather than a comet. It is certainly symmetrical and has the shape of a classic 'flying saucer'. Amazing! Steve

>> We don't know what it is; of course Saturn comes to mind, but...

Subj: IMAGES: Re: Picture of an Object Next to the Sun ? Date: 98-05-11 02:34:52 EDT From: swingate@crl.com (Steve Wingate) Sender: anomalous-images-approval@world.std.com Reply-to: anomalous-images@world.std.com

To: iufo@world.std.com, anomalous-images@world.std.com (Anomalous Images)

-> Anomalous Images Mailing List

This looks more like a huge UFO rather than a comet. It is certainly symmetrical and has the shape of a classic 'flying saucer'. Amazing!

Steve

On 11 May 98 at 1:58, Ndunlks wrote:

> From: seer7@netusa1.net > > To: ndunlks@aol.com > >

http://www.eagle-net.org/IWP/comet.htm > > comet.htm at www.eagle- > net.org > >

Check out the above site. Does anyone know what the object is ?

> > Steven L Wilson, Sr ------------------------------ Anomalous Images and UFO Files http://www.anomalous-images.com

Subj: Fwd: COMET SATURN OR SPACECRAFT? Date: 98-05-11 20:24:35 EDT From: Dee777

To: Iwonder414

Forwarded Message: Subj: RE: COMET SATURN OR SPACECRAFT? Date: 98-05-11 15:54:19 EDT

To: Dee777@aol.com ('Dee777')

Hi Dee

checked out the site, very interesting......... l got carried away with Hale Bopp and nothing big happened, so will reserve my judgement this time........ But it does look like a ship, could be the rainbow ship..... Ashtars.......

We will have to wait and see.....

Love Karen

---------- From: Dee777[SMTP:Dee777@aol.com] Sent: Monday, May 11, 1998 8:24 AM

To: voltron@voy.net Subject: COMET SATURN OR SPACECRAFT?

Hi All:

Just yesterday, a new comet was discovered, right by the sun. Strange! why did n't we see it sooner?

Some experts have enhanced the pictures of this so-called comet. It doesn't look like a comet to me anymore than it does to them. This is wild!

See them here

http://www.greatdreams.com

DREAMS OF THE GREAT EARTH CHANGES

It's the first link. You decide.

Dee777@aol.com

Subj: Strange SOHO Object Date: 98-05-12 17:50:21 EDT From: DEAN_DUPREE@nmenv.state.nm.us (Dean Dupree)

To: IWonder414@aol.com

Regarding the strange object seen near the Sun in the SOHO photo, I believe this object is the planet Mars. The new comet is above and to the right of the Sun, outside the edge of your image. Check out the following hyperlink: http://medicine.wustl.edu/~kronkg/1998j1.html