Posted on 02/18/2009 9:12:03 AM PST by Ben Mugged
An odd, greenish backward-flying comet is zipping by Earth this month, as it takes its only trip toward the sun from the farthest edges of the solar system.
The comet is called Lulin, and there's a chance it can be seen with the naked eye — far from city lights, astronomers say. But you'll most likely need a telescope, or at least binoculars, to spot it.
The best opportunity is just before dawn one-third of the way up the southern sky. It should be near Saturn and two bright stars, Spica and Regula.
On Monday at 10:43 p.m. EST, it will be 38 million miles from Earth, the closest it will ever get, according to Donald Yeomans, manager of NASA's Near Earth Object program.
The story behind the comet is more intriguing than its appearance — the greenish tinge may be hard for many to discern. The color comes from a type of carbon and cyanogen, a poisonous gas.
Lulin was discovered by a Chinese teenager two years ago. It still has many of its original gases — gases that are usually stripped away as comets near the sun. Unlike most comets viewable from Earth, this one hasn't been this close to the sun before, Yeomans said.
While all the planets and most of the other objects in the solar system circle the sun counterclockwise, Lulin circles clockwise, said NASA astronomer Stephen Edberg.
Thanks to an optical illusion, from Earth it appears as if the comet's tail is in the front as the comet approaches Earth and the sun.
"It essentially is going backwards through the solar system," he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
gnip...
Didn’t some kind of green comet lead to the rise of killer machines in the Maximum overdrive flick?
Yucateco !
Time for another cult to cut their nuts off and drink koolaid I guess.
Ping.
ROTFL!
Kryptonite?
Obots?
Join my cult. Have a ball...
ZOD
Either that or the Mean Green Mother From Outer Space (And He’s Bad!)
A classy green-eyed comet?
Hopefully it’s the “Green” Comet that will sweep by & pick up Al Gore and his minions.It can take them back to Planet Stupid.
LOL
Backwards flying comet? Are reporters born brain dead or do they have to work at it?
“Green comet”
The comet that doesn’t abuse any energy source as it travels about our solar system. The libs are wetting their pants over this one.
Please Mr Green please hit our planet and save up from the “O” agenda.
bfl
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