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Comet naming question (all in the past)
In a recent discussion with Carl Hergenrother, ALPO comet
co-ordinator, about comets 12P and 13P, (both of which
are in visible from Earth today and both near perihelion)
there was mention of their respective naming.
12P is now named Pons-Brooks having first been discovered
by Louis Pons at Marseille France on the morning of 1812
July 21. The discovery/recovery of this comet was made by
William Brooks at Phelps NY USA 1883 September 2.Brooks
was presumably engaged in one of his many regular sweeps
at the time searching for comets. The comet was intially
named 1812 O1 when discovered by Pons and then 1883 R1
when discovered by Brooks and subsequently renamed as 12P
Pons-Brooks once the periodic nature of the comet had
been established.
13P is named Olbers. It was discovered by H.W.M. Olbers
at Bremen Germany on 1815 March 6. The discovery/recovery
of this comet was made by William Brooks Phelps NY USA on
1887 August 25. Again Brooks was presumably engaged in
one of his regular sweeps for comet discovery. This comet
was initially named 1815 E1 after Olbers discovery and
1887 Q1 when discovered by Brooks. The comet was
subsequently named 13P Olbers after its periodic nature
had been established.
The discovery/recovery circumstances of both comets seem
similar, so I wonder why, in today’s nomenclature, 12P
was renamed Pons-Brooks and 13P only named after Olbers?
A curiosity in the complicated system of comet naming
protocols.Is there a rational behind the naming of these
two famous comets?
Denis Buczynski Secretary BAA Comet Section
A response to this question posted on comets-ml pointed to a Cloudy Nights discussion from last month which had a plausible explanation which was that the orbit of 13P was better known than 12P so it was very quickly recognised as a recovery when Brooks found it on the return.
https://groups.io/g/comets-ml/message/32292
https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/920186-the-name-of-the-comet-13polbers-problem/#entry13436144
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