Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Announcing Comet Catalina

NASA ^ | August 18, 2015 | (see photo credit)

[SunkenCiv]

Explanation: Will Comet Catalina become visible to the unaided eye? Given the unpredictability of comets, no one can say for sure, but it seems like a good bet. The comet was discovered in 2013 by observations of the Catalina Sky Survey. Since then, Comet C/2013 US10 (Catalina) has steadily brightened and is currently brighter than 8th magnitude, making it visible with binoculars and long-duration camera images. As the comet further approaches the inner Solar System it will surely continue to intensify, possibly becoming a naked eye object sometime in October and peaking sometime in late November. The comet will reside primarily in the skies of the southern hemisphere until mid-December, at which time its highly inclined orbit will bring it quickly into northern skies. Featured above, Comet Catalina was imaged last week sporting a green coma and two growing tails.

[SunkenCiv]

[Credit and Copyright: Ian Sharp]

[SunkenCiv]

Another green comet!

The Big One

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[Slyfox]

Looks like a flashlight to me:

[Red Badger]

Comet Catalina was imaged last week sporting a green coma and two growing tails.

An omen?.......................

[SunkenCiv]

Yeah, it’s an omen about how omens are BS. ;’)

http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/greencomet/index

[Conan the Librarian]

It’s going to be a early morning comet in September/October. It MAY get bright, but, it’s gong to be hugging the Sun.

Later, in November, it will rise earlier and be higher in the sky, but, may not be as bright.

Keep looking UP!