Who finds SOHO comets?
Since 2001, the vast majority of SOHO comets have been found by amateurs; the rest were found by SOHO staffers. LASCO images are available for download by the public (at the same time they become available to scientists), primarily at http://soho.nascom.nasa.gov/data/realtime-images.html. Many of those who hunt SOHO comets are dedicated and experienced comet observers (two, Kazimieras Cernis and Sebastian Hnig, have discovered comets in the night sky that bear their names); others do very little night-sky observing and were looking for a hands-on science project when then found out about SOHO comet hunting. Some, including myself, live in large, light-polluted cities and can observe under dark skies far less frequently than wed like; SOHO helps to satisfy the need to observe (albeit on a computer screen; we get to piggyback on a telescopic eye) and take part in a useful astronomical project, trying to discover these tiny bodies.
