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Newfound Comet Lulin to Grace Night Skies
Yahoo (Space.com) ^
| 2-06-2009
| Joe Rao
Posted on 02/06/2009 10:17:00 AM PST by The_Victor
During the next few weeks, a fine comet bright enough for observation in binoculars and possibly even with the naked eye will provide a fine skywatching target when weather permits.
Comet Lulin will be closest to Earth on Feb. 24 and will occur than and on surrounding nights. For sharp-eye viewers with dark, rural, skies, the comet is expected to be visible as a dim, fuzzy star.
People living in cities and suburbs are not expected to see the comet with the naked eye, but binoculars and telescopes will reveal its cloudy head and perhaps a striking tail, too. Comets are unpredictable, however, so it's impossible to say how bright this one might become.
[snip]
This comet is the brightest since the surprising outburst of Comet Holmes more than 15 months ago and in the coming weeks will become favorably placed in the evening sky. During mid-to-late February it will probably be about magnitude 5 or 6, making it perhaps visible to the naked eye in dark, rural locations and easily observable in binoculars or small telescopes.
Brian Marsden of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory has calculated that Comet Lulin passed through the perihelion point of its orbit (its closest approach to the sun) on Jan. 10, 113 million miles (182 million kilometers) from the sun. However, while the comet is now receding from the sun, its distance from the Earth is decreasing, with a minimum of 38 million miles (61 million kilometers) on Feb. 24.
For this reason, the comet should be at its brightest during the last week of February; then it will fade fast by mid-March.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
TOPICS: Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: astronomy; comet; comet2007n3; cometlulin; greencomet; lulin
To: The_Victor
I’m thinking this will be in the same general area as Jupiter, then? Might be quite a nice sight, until the Moon catches them up again.
2
posted on
02/06/2009 10:25:02 AM PST
by
BelegStrongbow
(The 'Stimulus' is a three-fold sin and every fold in it is mortal.)
To: The_Victor
3
posted on
02/06/2009 10:25:19 AM PST
by
Trueblackman
(Terrorism and Liberalism never sleep and neither do I)
To: The_Victor
"
... on the night of the 24th, when it will be passing nearest to Earth, Lulin will be visible all night, rising in the east at dusk, peaking high in the south shortly after midnight and setting in the west around sunrise ... "
Thanks ... I'll be looking.
4
posted on
02/06/2009 10:26:43 AM PST
by
G.Mason
(Alarm & Muster)
To: Trueblackman
5
posted on
02/06/2009 10:26:45 AM PST
by
Names Ash Housewares
(Refusing to kneel before the socialist messiah. 1-20-13 Freedom Day.)
To: The_Victor
and will occur than and on surrounding nights Spellcheck is not always our friend.
6
posted on
02/06/2009 10:32:00 AM PST
by
bgill
To: Names Ash Housewares
I'm thinking more of Lucifer's Hammer
7
posted on
02/06/2009 10:33:56 AM PST
by
DCBryan1
(Arm Pilots&Teachers. Build the Wall. Export Illegals. Profile Muslims. Execute child molesters RFN!)
To: The_Victor
Day of the Triffids?
8
posted on
02/06/2009 10:35:45 AM PST
by
Oratam
To: bgill
I tried to edit out the links. I musta gotten some of the text by mistake.
9
posted on
02/06/2009 10:38:57 AM PST
by
The_Victor
(If all I want is a warm feeling, I should just wet my pants.)
To: BelegStrongbow
It will be near Saturn in Leo when it makes it's closest approach.
10
posted on
02/06/2009 10:40:11 AM PST
by
qam1
(There's been a huge party. All plates and the bottles are empty, all that's left is the bill to pay)
To: bgill
Actually, that's exactly how the text appears in the original.
'Taint mah fault.
11
posted on
02/06/2009 10:40:29 AM PST
by
The_Victor
(If all I want is a warm feeling, I should just wet my pants.)
To: The_Victor
We're all gonna DIE!
Well, maybe there will be zombies. Zombies are cool.
To: DCBryan1
And the 24th is a Tuesday! Hot fudge sundae, anyone?
13
posted on
02/06/2009 10:41:24 AM PST
by
NonValueAdded
(Play the new "rehab" card: apologize for cheating on your taxes)
To: The_Victor
Historically, comets were harbingers of disaster.
Any guesses what this one might be?
To: Billthedrill
Well, maybe there will be zombies. Zombies are cool. And hot chicks needing to be rescued....
zombies are always after the babes.
15
posted on
02/06/2009 10:43:37 AM PST
by
The_Victor
(If all I want is a warm feeling, I should just wet my pants.)
To: The_Victor
I believe this comet will be brightest and visible to the naked eye right before it hits us.
16
posted on
02/06/2009 10:50:36 AM PST
by
PrairieRoot
(Here's hoping Global Warning extends the hunting and logging seasons.)
To: qam1
Thanks. I live semi-rural, so am looking forward to being able to see it pretty well, assuming it doesn’t cloud over again, of course.
17
posted on
02/06/2009 10:50:46 AM PST
by
BelegStrongbow
(The 'Stimulus' is a three-fold sin and every fold in it is mortal.)
To: Names Ash Housewares
“Daddy would have gotten us UZIs.”
18
posted on
02/06/2009 11:46:00 AM PST
by
Ruy Dias de Bivar
(14. Guns only have two enemies: rust and politicians.)
To: The_Victor
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