C/2020 X3 (SOHO)

C/2020 X3 (SOHO), also known as SOHO-4108, is the 3,534th Kreutz sungrazer comet discovered by the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO).^[2] It is notable for appearing during the total solar eclipse of 14 December 2020. Due to its small size, only about a few meters across, it completely disintegrated upon perihelion only 22 hours after being discovered.^[4]

C/2020 X3 (SOHO)
(Eclipse Comet of 2020)

Discovery[1]
Discovered by	SOHO Worachate Boonplod
Discovery date	13 December 2020
Designations
Alternative designations	SOHO-4108, CK20X030
Orbital characteristics[1]
Epoch	14 December 2020 (JD 2459198.44587)
Observation arc	22.9 hours
Number of observations	104
Orbit type	Kreutz sungrazer
Perihelion	0.005 AU
Eccentricity	~1.000
Max. orbital speed	200 km/s[2]
Inclination	143.94°
Longitude of ascending node	357.16°
Argument of periapsis	77.358°
Last perihelion	14 December 2020
Physical characteristics[3]
Mean diameter	0.015 km (0.0093 mi)
Apparent magnitude	5.1 (2020 apparition)

See also

• X/1882 K1 (Tewfik) – the Eclipse Comet of 1882, also a member of the Kreutz sungrazers.
• C/1948 V1 – the Eclipse Comet of 1948.