What is new in the 2002 edition?

Unfortunately I have to repeat myself: Not everything I wanted to do since the last edition was done. The following list gives an overview on the changes.

More and important information about the data, formats and abbreviations is contained in the catalogue info. Please make sure to read it! Thanks.

• Extended format: I decided to extend the format of the Catalogue to incorporate more data. The record length increased allowing to implement more information.
• Comet names and suffixed numerals: The names of the periodic comets do not contain suffixed numerals anymore. With the 2001 edition of the Catalogue of Cometary Orbits the numerals were dropped since the new designation scheme is sufficient enough for identifying a comet and suffixed numerals are not consistent since re-discoveries can cause new names and the dropping of such numerals only causing confusion. For more information I refer to Marsden, B.G., ICQ 17,3 and Green, D.W.E., ICQ 23, 25.
• IAU station codes: One proposal for the new edition was the inclusion of the IAU station codes which are used for astrometry. I have now included these numbers. Not always it is possible to assign such a number (especially for old and visual discoveries). In some cases a number was assigned but indicated with an asterisk. Here the discoverers location lies reasonably close enough to that for which the station code is valid. A list of station codes can be found here.
• Research and sources: I was not able to check the whole Astronomische Nachrichten for the discovery announcements. I also have not yet checked all IAUCs. I hope I have finished that with the next edition. I have included now one additional source, The Astronomical Journal, for some of the discoveries prior 1920.
  Sidenote: Privately I have now a little collection of volumes of the Astronomische Nachrichten. If somebody owns such volumes and wants sell it he or she should contact me.

What was new in the 2000 edition?
• Cometography: With the publishing of the first volume of Gary W. Kronks "Cometography" (Cambridge, 2000) I was able to start with the referencing of every entry. This resulted in format changes, where the name entry was shifted to the right. Please read the catalog.txt for format info. I also used the information for the comets of Volume I (ancient - 1799) and corrected the entries in the Catalogue. These were mostly changes of the discovery date which resulted in a new calculation of the positions and elongations, too.
• Names: I added names in brackets where the original discoverer is known but the naming conventions or historical circumstances did not allow the name to be attached to that comet. Please be aware that these names in brackets are not official!
• I added the X/ comets which were given in the Catalogue of Cometary Orbits and in the Cometography.

Future improvements

• One-line format: I was asked if a one-line format would be more reasonable. This means that for every discovery only ONE record exists, with the co-discoveries mentioned in the notes file. Again, what do you think? (Still thinking about that...)
• More data!: As time permits I will try to complete the Catalogue step by step. This will include the rest of the IAUC numbers and A.N. (Astronomische Nachrichten) numbers (for pre-IAUC discoveries) and discovery data.
• Suggestions? Wishes?: Maik Meyer (maik@comethunter.de)

Download

Name              Size                   Description
com_disc.txt .... 237.867 bytes......... Main data file.
catalog.txt .....  11.473 bytes......... Readme file with information on sources and format.
comnotes.txt ...... 7.936 bytes......... Data file with supplementary notes.