Posted on 07/18/2013 9:48:26 AM PDT by Sopater
About 10,000 years ago, Comet ISON left our solar system's distant shell, a region known as the Oort cloud, and began streaking toward the sun. This November, the icy wanderer will reach the climax of its journey, potentially providing a stunning skywatching show here on Earth.
Comet ISON was discovered just last September by two Russian amateur astronomers. Scientists have since recognized ISON as a possible "comet of the century," but to live up to its promise, it will have to survive its dangerous perihelion, or closest approach to the sun.
ISON is what's known as a sungrazing comet. These suicidal objects have orbits that bring them within 850,000 miles of the sun, and scientists estimate that ISON's closest pass will be about 730,000 miles above the surface of Earth's star.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
I haven’t read that one yet. It’s on the to do list though.
Bill Haley and the Hale Bopps, I remember them......
Agreed! I was in SE Wyoming, not too far from where you were.
I love the two tails. Just blows the socks off of present scientific theories.
Creationist.
How so? The multiple tails emanating from comets are well understood. The tail pointing directly away from the sun is composed of ionized gasses sublimated off the comet’s surface and propelled by subatomic particles emanating from the sun (the solar wind), and the other tails are made up of dust, rock, and ice fragments too heavy to be affected by that process. These particles are gravitationally bound and stream behind in the comet’s wake. Due to differential composition and heating on the comet’s surface, material is liberated at varying rates and locations, so given the comet’s speed and trajectory, a number of tails may fan out from the nucleus.
And in fact, in the picture I posted the differentiation of the tails is clear; the blue one is ionized gas (these are sometimes greenish), and the other appears redder because it is reflecting sunlight rather than being actually luminous. The other clue as to the tails’ origin is in their shape - the ionized gas is pushed straight away from the sun, while the fragmented material is in an arc.
Always two, one positive and one negative.
I saw Hale Bopp over snowy fields in NOrth Idaho on a crystal clear night; it was brilliant and had a long long tail. One of the best nights of my life.
If I squinted, I could see a space cowgirl riding the comet. Yee Haw! But that’s just me wishing I could be riding thru space on my own private comet. My idea of heaven.
So here comes a new comet? It will have to be really something to compare with the glorious HB.
I remember seeing a reference during that period to Gerald Ford as the “Kohoutek President.” I’m old enough to appreciate that joke at two levels.
She is thinking, ‘Put down my snack you kenyan klown or I’ll cutcha!’
Google “comet hot fudge sundae” for answer to riddle. The novel from 1977 was my first introduction of the prepper survival of catastrophe concept. Not fighting WWZombies, but an cannibal horde derived of black gang members and organized military deserters.
You got me there, awesome picture, thanks!
Thanks Sopater, extra to APoD members.
Comets are said to portend significant events for humanity.Government grants.What does this one supposedly bring?
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