Posted on 09/26/2012 6:29:10 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
Vitali Nevski and Artyom Novichonok, of the International Scientific Optical Network (ISON) in Russia, discovered comet C/2012 S1 (ISON) on 21 September via images taken with a 40-centimetre reflecting telescope. Other sky-watchers soon spotted it, and the International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts, announced the find yesterday.
From the combined observations, astronomers were able to trace the comet's recent path and find images of it dating back to late December 2011. From there they calculated a near-parabolic orbit that has comet ISON headed almost straight towards the sun.
Astronomers at the Remanzacco Observatory in Italy think that ISON will skim less than 1.4 million kilometres from the sun's surface on 28 or 29 November...
As with Lulin, the intense heat of ISON's solar fly-by should vaporise the comet's hard shell of pristine ices, releasing trapped dust that would help it grow an exceptionally bright tail. Astronomy Now magazine reports that comet ISON could even be brighter than the full moon around its closest approach to the sun.
Skirting our star means that, to viewers on Earth, the comet will appear close to the horizon and to the sun's glare, making it difficult to see at first. ISON will fade but become easier to spot as it heads back towards the outer solar system. By 9 December it should be about as bright as Polaris, the North Star, according to Remanzacco Observatory astronomers. ISON should continue to be visible to the unaided eye until mid-January 2014.
But veteran astronomers warn that fresh comets with orbits that almost skim the sun are notoriously unpredictable. Results can range from the spectacular comet McNaught of January 2007 to the infamously fizzled comet Kohoutek of 1973.
(Excerpt) Read more at newscientist.com ...
Thanks Swordmaker!
cool
Thank you - I am always interested in comets.
.... Good thing I had got up to take a leak, or I would have missed it
Good thing you missed it when you got up to take that leak! I'd hate what happens when a wet comet comes around the next time. 8<)
We asked my near ninety year old grandmother if she wanted us to help her see Hailey’s Comet she replied; “no, I’ve seen it before”.
Around the world men’s thoughts will fly, quick as the twinkling of an eye. And water shall great wonders do, How strange, and yet it shall come true.
Through towering hills proud men shall ride, no horse or ass move by his side. Beneath the water, men shall walk, shall ride, shall sleep, shall even talk. And in the air men shall be seen, In white and black and even green. A great man, shall come and go for prophecy declares it so.
In water, iron then shall float as easy as a wooden boat. Gold shall be seen in stream and stone, In land that is yet unknown.
And England shall admit a Jew, Do you think this strange, but it is true. The Jew that once was led in scorn, shall of a christian then be born.
A house of glass shall come to pass, In England. But alas, alas, a war will follow with the work where dwells the pagan and the turk.
These states will lock in fiercest strife, and seek to take each other’s life. When north shall thus divide the south an eagle build in lion’s mouth then tax and blood and cruel war shall come to every humble door.
Three times shall lovely sunny France be led to play a bloody dance. Before the people shall be free three tyrant rulers shall she see.
Three rulers in succession be each springs from different dynasty. Then when the fiercest strife is done. England and France shall be as one.
The British olive shall next then twine, in marriage with a German vine. Men walk beneath and over streams fulfilled shall be their wondrous dreams.
For in those wondrous far off days, the women shall adopt a craze to dress like men, and trousers wear and to cut off their locks of hair.
They’ll ride astride with brazen brow, as witches do on broomsticks now.
And roaring monsters with men atop, does seem to eat the verdent crop. And men shall fly as birds do now, and give away the horse and plow.
They’ll be a sign for all to see be sure that it will certain be. Then love shall die and marriage cease and nations wane as babes decrease.
And wives shall fondle cats and dogs and men live much the same as hogs.
I know I go, I know I’m free, I know that this will come to be, Secreted this, for this will be found by later dynasty.
A dairy maid, a bonnie lass, shall kick this tome as she does pass And five generations she shall breed before one male child does learn to read.
This is then held year by year, till an iron monster trembling fear, eats parchment, words and quill and ink, and mankind is given time to think.
And only when this comes to be will mankind read this prophecy. But one man sweets anothers bain so I shall not have burned in vein.
The signs will be there for all to read; when man shall do most heinous deed man will ruin kinder lives; by taking them as to their wives. And murder foul and brutal deed: when man will only think of greed. and man shall walk as if asleep; he does not look – he may not peep And iron men the tail shall do; and iron cart and carriage too.
The king shall false promise make; and talk just for talking’s sake. And nations plan horrific war; the like as never seen before. and taxes rise and lively down; and nations wear perpetual frown.
yet greater sign there be to see; as man nears latter century. three sleeping mountains gather breath, and spew out mud, ice and death. an earthquake swallow town and town; in lands as yet to me unknown And Christian one fights Christian two and nations sigh, yet nothing do. And yellow men great power gain; from mighty bear with whom they’ve lain.
These mightly tyrants will fail to do, they fail to split the world in two. But from their acts a danger bred; an ague, leaving many dead.
And physics find no remedy; for this is worse than lepresy. Oh many signs for all to see; the truth of this true prophecy.
In nineteen hundred and twenty-six build houses light of straw and sticks. For then shall mighty wars be planned and fire and swords shall sweep the land.
When pictures seem alive with movements free, when boats like fishes swim beneath the sea. When men like birds shall scour the sky. Then half the world, deep drenched in blood shall die.
For those who live the century through in fear and trembling this shall do. Flee to the mountains and the dens to bog and forest and wild fens.
For storms will rage and oceans roar when Gabriel stands on sea and shore, and as he blows his wondrous horn old worlds die and new be born.
A fiery dragon will cross the sky six times before the earth shall die. Mankind will tremble and frightened be for the six heralds in this prophecy.
For seven days and seven nights man will watch this awesome sight. The tides will rise beyond their ken. To bite away the shores and then the mountains will begin to roar and earthquakes split the plain to shore.
And flooding waters rushing in, will flood the lands with such a din that mankind cowers in muddy fen and snarls about his fellow men.
He bares his teeth and fights and kills and secrets food in secret hill and ugly in his fear, he lies to kill marauders, thieves and spies.
Man flees in terror from the floods and kills, and rapes and lies in blood and spilling blood by mankind’s hand will stain and bitter many lands.
And when the dragon’s tail is gone man forgets and smiles and carries on. To apply himself – too late, too late for mankind has earned deserved fate.
His masked smile, his false grandeur, will serve the gods their anger stir and they will send the dragon back to light the sky – his tail will crack. Upon the earth and rend the earth and man shall flee, king, lord and serf.
But slowly they are routed out to seek diminishing water spout and men will die of thirst before the oceans rise to mount to the shore. And lands will crack and rend anew do you think it strange, it will come true.
And in some far – off distant land some men – oh such a tiny band will have to leave their solid mount and span the earth, those few to count.
Who survives this (unreadable) and then begin the human race again. But not on land already there, but on ocean beds, stark, dry and bare.
Not every soul on earth will die, as the dragon’s tail goes sweeping by, not every land on earth will sink, but these will wallow in stench and stink, of rotting bodies of beast and man, of vegetation crisped on land.
But the land that rises from the sea will be dry and clean and soft and free. Of mankinds dirt and therefore be, the source of man’s new dynasty. and those that live will ever fear the dragon’s tail for many year but time erases memory You think it strange. but it will be.
And before the race is built anew, a silver serpent comes to view and spew out men of like unknown to mingle with the earth now grown cold from its heat and these men can enlighten the minds of future man to intermingle and show them how to live and love and thus endow. the children with the second sight. a natural thing so that they might grow graceful, humble and when they do the golden age will start anew.
The dragon’s tail is but a sign for mankind’s fall and man’s decline. and before this prophecy is done I shall be burned at the stake, at l My body cinged and my soul set free You think I utter blastphemy your wrong. These things have come to me this prophecy will come to be.
Chilling.
A friend got a puppy around the time of Hale Bop and she named it Haley.
It's interesting times we're living in...
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