Hi Mark,
I am no expert, but I believe the flattening shape of the comet head in
the LASCO 3 images is due to the saturation spikes. We will see if the
comet survives perihelion ,as it has disapeared behind the coronograph
occulting disk now.
Denis
         ps here is a time lapse from the CCOR-1 Coronagraph
https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/ccor-1-coronagraph-experimental

        ------ Original Message ------
        From: baa-comet@simplelists.com
        To: baa-comet@simplelists.com
        Sent: Saturday, April 4th 2026, 11:30
        Subject: Re: [BAA Comets] C/2026 A1 visible in the SOHO Lasco3
field of view

  Attachment available until 4 May 2026

  HI Denis, I have been following C/2026 A1 MAPPS on SOHO after reading
your email and as someone who has been long out of astronomy I’m
realising how much I have forgotten. I have created a video (attached)
using the SOHO Movie Theatre which shows a CME and the approach of the
comet (it loops twice). Am I right in thinking that a clear shockwave
has formed ahead of the nucleus?

   Kind regards,Mark Tissingtonmtastronomy@icloud.com
  m.tissington@icloud.comTel: 07584 321996

  Click to DownloadComet C:2026 A1 MAPPS  and CME.MP4
  39.5 MB

    On 2 Apr 2026, at 22:08, denis buczynski - buczynski8166 at
btinternet.com (via baa-comet list) <baa-comet@simplelists.com> wrote:
  I notice that C/2026A1 MAPS  is now visible in the SOHO Lasco3 field
of view. A comparision with the view of Comet Lovejoy C/2011 W3 as it
entered the Lasco 3 field of view shows that MAPS looks much fainter and
smaller. I think their respective solar distances at that time of entry
were 0.1 AU and 0.5 AU. Comparison images attachedDenis BuczynskiTo
unsubscribe from this list please go to
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2018.jpg><Comet_Lovejoy_seen_by_SOHO_pillars.jpg>

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