Posted on 05/30/2013 7:08:03 PM PDT by Errant
Well, the likelihood of it breaking up has more to do with how close it passes to the sun than size.
Granted, if the comet is really "boiling away", before it even gets inside the orbit of Venus, the rate of ejecta might slow back down, but unless I've made a grievous math error somewhere, something in the figures the article states seems a bit suspect...
Yes, I’m still wondering if I’ll see a comet in my lifetime that seems even modestly impressive (as viewed from Earth).
If this one fizzles per my speculation above, well, Bad Co. had a tune that somewhat applies...
Johnny was an school boy
When he heard his first Beatles song
Love Me Do, I think it was
And from there it didn’t take him long
Got himself a guitar
Used to play every night
Now he’s in a rock ‘n’ roll outfit
And everything’s alright
Don’t you know?
Johnny told his Mama,
“Hey, Mama, I’m goin’ away
I’m Gonna hit the big time
Gonna be a big star someday”
Mama came to the door
With a teardrop in her eye
Johnny said, “Don’t cry, Mama,
Just smile and wave goodbye”
Don’t you know?
Yeah......yeah.....
(Chorus)
Don’t you know that you are a shooting star
Don’t you know
Don’t you know
Don’t you know that you are a shooting star
And all the world will love you just as long
As long as you are
Johnny made a record
Went straight up to number one
Suddenly everyone loved
To hear him sing his song
Watchin’ the world go by
Surprisin’ it goes so fast
Johnny looked around him and said,
“Well, I made the big-time at last”
Don’t you know?
Don’t you know?
(Chorus)
A shooting star
Don’t you know that You are a shooting star
Don’t you know?
Don’t you know that You are a shooting star
And all the world will love you just as long
as long as you are
Johnny died one night, died in his bed
Bottle of whiskey, sleeping tablets by his head
Johnny’s life passed him by like a warm summer day
If you listen to the wind you can still hear him play
(chorus)
Don’t you know that you are a shooting star
Don’t you know?
Don’t you know that you are a shooting star
Don’t you don’t you don’t you don’t you don’t you know
Don’t you know that you are a shooting star
Don’t you, don’t you know that you are a shooting star
Well then... I have a suggestion as to where to start...
More from another article:
NASA's SWIFT satellite typically studies the aftermath of exploding stars in distant galaxies. However, the satellite was used in January and February of 2013 by astronomers from the University of Maryland at College Park and Lowell Observatory to study the dust and water being expelled from the comet. These studies have also led to the first estimate of the size of Comet ISON's nucleus.
The studies determined that Comet ISON is expelling roughly 130 pounds (60 kg) of water and 112,000 pounds (51,000 kg) of dust every minute. These shed materials create Comet ISON's coma, dust tail and dust trail.
Astrophysicists compared the dust amount of dust being blown from the comet to observations of other comets of known size. Using this information, they estimated the size of Comet ISON to be 3 miles (5 km) in diameter.
Of course, Comet ISON isn't a perfect five mile wide sphere.
Although the comet is still too far to determine the exact dimensions of its nucleus, it will be like other comet nuclei - unevenly shaped with valleys and peaks, and pockmarked with tiny craters. The image to the left shows the size of dimension of comet nuclei snapped during close fly-bys by the spacecrafts. Giotto, EPOXI, Stardust and Deep Space 1 have all increased on understanding of the dimensions and size of comets.
A U.S. probe named Deep Impact went one step further. It successfully hit Comet Tempel-1 in order to discover the chemical composition beneath the icy surface. For once we created a crater, albeit a small one at 492 feet (150 m), on a comet rather than the other way around.
Comet ISON is expected to lose 10% of its size / mass during this, its first-ever, orbit through the inner solar system.
Planetary Science Institute research scientist Jian-Yang Li led a team of scientists that used The Hubble Space Telescope's Wide Field Camera 3 on April 10, 2013 to determine the size of Comet ISON's coma. On April 10, 2013 Comet ISON was around 386,000,000 miles (621,000,000 km) from the Sun. This put it inside the orbit of Jupiter. Li and his team determined the coma was roughly 3,100 miles (5,000 km) in diameter. This made it almost as wide as the distance between Los Angeles and Augusta, Maine.
Li and his team observed a jet spewing dust from the Sun-facing side of the comet. The dust tail was already 2,300 miles (3,700 km) long. If Comet ISON continues to perform, as expected, it will be one of the brightest comets in history.
I remember coming out of church deacon’s meetings and seeing Hale-Bopp. It was huge.
The good thing, is that the WHITE HOUSE, has given official word that this astroid won’t strike the U.S.A. I guess that removes all fear, they control the seas, the tides, and uneducated masses. Bring it on.
The figures in the “other article” make a lot more sense. :-)
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