Comets, Shooting Stars And Asteroids

Comet C/2008 Q1 - Matièiè


...................The International Year of Astronomy (2009)

The comet C/2008 Q1 Matièiè was discovered on 20.8.2008 by Stanislav Matièiè in the Observatory in Èrni Vrh; Slovenia.
It was named after the person who discovered it.
This is the first, and so far the only comet discovered during observations in Slovenia.
The stamp stylistically shows the relative position of the Sun, Mercury, Earth, Mars and the Comet C/2008 Q1 Matièiè at the moment of its discovery.

Comoro Islands issued a stamp on the comet Giacobini-Zinner. Michael Giacobini spotted this comet on December 20, 1900 and Ernst Zinner on October 23, 1913. It is the parent body of the Draconids meteor shower. Comet designation is 21P/Giacobini-Zinner. Scott number C159, issued March 7, 1986.

Comoro Islands issued a stamp on comet Encke. Johann Encke predicted the return of this comet in 1822, a 3.3 year periodic comet, the first comet with a known period of less then 70 years. The calculations proved that Pierre Mechain's comet of 1786 and Caroline Hershel's comet of 1795 were the same as this comet. Comet designation is P/Encke. Scott C160, issued on March 7, 1986.

Comoro Islands issued a stamp on Comet Bradfield. William Bradfield discovered his first comet in 1972. He has discovered eighteen comets through 2004. Scott number C161, issued March 7, 1986.

The Republic of the Congo issued a stamp on Comet West. Richard West discovered this comet on August 10, 1975 and its designation is C/1975 V1. Scott number C350, issued February 17, 1986.

The Republic of the Congo issued a stamp on Comet Ikeya-Seki. Kaoru Ikeya and Tsutomu Seki discovered this comet in 1965. Its designation is C/1965 S1. Scott number C351, issued February 17, 1986.

The Republic of the Congo issued a stamp on Comet Halley. Edmond Halley predicted in 1705, this comet's return, but he died before it returned. Its designation is 1P/Halley. Besides the comet, the stamp shows the unmanned spacecraft that flew by the comet in 1986. Scott number C353, issued February 17, 1986.

The Dominican Republic issued a stamp and a souvenir sheet on comet Hale-Bopp. Alan Hale and Thomas Bopp discovered this comet on July 23, 1996, its designation is C/1995 O1. Scott number 1247-1248, issued April 1, 1997.



My photo of Hale-Bopp taken on April 7, 1997 at 9:49 PM EDT. Photo taken piggyback on a Celestron 8 telescope, with a 200mm lens, Fujichrome 1600 film, exposure 1 second. The small cluster just to the center right edge of the comet is M34, an open cluster in the constellation Perseus.

Comet P/Shoemaker-Levy 9 - 1999



The comet was discovered on March 24, 1993. Orbital calculations indicated the comet fragments would probably collide with Jupiter in July 1994.
Over a period of week beginning July 16, 1994 twenty-one fragments struck Jupiter. It was the first opportunity ever for scientists to observe such a large collision of a comet with a planet.

Aitutaki issued a set of stamps on the return of Halley's Comet in 1986. Scott numbers 387-389, issued February 25, 1986.

Anguilla issued a set of stamps on the return of Halley's Comet in 1986. Scott numbers 669-672, issued March 24, 1986.

Antigua & Barbuda issued a set of stamps on the return of Halley's Comet in 1986. Scott number 920-923, issued March 24, 1986.

Ascension issued a set of stamps on the return of Halley's Comet in 1986. Scott numbers 385-388, issued March 7, 1986.

Bermuda issued a set of stamps on the return of Halley's Comet in 1986. Scott numbers 478-481, issued November 21, 1985.

Botswana issued a set of stamps on the return of Halley's Comet in 1986. Scott numbers 380-383, issued March 24, 1986.