A Bright Comet Is Coming
Posted on: Wednesday, 10 January 2007, 15:15 CST
If you watch the morning or evening sky these days and have a clear view of the horizon, you will be able to spot a bright object with a prominent tail.
Instructions for viewing the comet in the morning from Spaceweather.com:
At dawn, go outside and face east
Using binoculars, scan the horizon
The comet is located just south of due east
Instructions for viewing the comet in the evening from Spaceweather.com:
At sunset, go outside and face west
Using binoculars, scan the horizon
The comet is located low and to the right of Venus
A clear view of the horizon is essential
That object is comet C/2006 P1 (Comet McNaught). It was discovered on August 7th, 2006 by the hugely successful comet discoverer Rob McNaught.
At time of discovery, the comet was a very faint object, but the predicted perihelion distance (closest distance to the sun) of just 0.17 astronomical units (the average distance between the Earth and sun, about 150 million kilometers) indicated that the object has the potential to become very bright indeed.
Nobody really knows just what this comet will look like at its closest point to the sun and that is where SOHO comes in! The LASCO instrument aboard SOHO has the ability to watch comets as they get extremely close to the sun.
Fortunately for us, C/2006 P1 is going to pass right through the LASCO C3 field of view in less than a weeks' time! As soon as SOHO's cameras capture the comet, we will post images and further information to the SOHO website. In the meantime, you may enjoy looking at some photographs and checking out the links below for further information.
The image to the left shows the expected track of the comet through SOHO's coronagraph LASCO C3. The comet will appear in the field of view of C3 at around 10:00 UT (05:00 EDT) on January 12th (a few hours before perihelion) in the upper-left of the images and travel almost vertically down, exiting C3's field of view in the lower left at roughly 03:00 UT on January 16th.
Recent estimates of the comet's maximal brightness have ranged widely from magnitude +2.1 (about as bright as Polaris, the North Star) to a super-bright -8.8 (about 40 times brighter than Venus)! The lower the magnitude number, the brighter the object. The brightest stars in the sky are categorized as zero or first magnitude. Negative magnitudes are reserved for the most brilliant objects: the brightest star is Sirius (-1.4); the full Moon is -12.7; the Sun is -26.7.
Current estimates put comet McNaught at magnitude 0 to -1, and it is still brightening. It could be -2 or -3 by the time it reaches LASCO's field of view. This means it will be brighter than comet NEAT or comet 96P/Machholz. In other words, this could be the brightest and most spectacular comet that SOHO has ever seen!
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On the Net:
Source: NASA/Roger Johansen image
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User Comments (113)
| 113. |
Posted by 4stringenator on 01/23/2007, 07:29 Time to shave your heads, put on your Nikes and get castraded. The 2nd mother ship is comming! |
| 112. |
Posted by Dennis Goodsens on 01/17/2007, 15:33 I\'m amaze to consider that, still, cukoos are mixing God to the world and universe diversity. Obviously this site is also accessible in many psychiatric hospitals. For some global warming are related to earthquakes, for others gay marriage causes tsunamis...!?!?!?!? Are we in 2007 or 1007 ? Frankly if a global catastrophy strikes humanity; it It might not happen because of accurate and intelligent thinking. |
| 111. |
Posted by ryan duley on 01/15/2007, 21:37 uh ohhh global warming doesnt cause 8.2 earthquakes and volcanoes to errupt i wonder what does.Hmmm maybe a giant very magnetic planet and many more glorious things to come. This is just the start you havent seen anything yet. brace yourselves. |
| 110. |
Posted by Mark on 01/13/2007, 02:22 Think about this..... Hale Bop 1995, McNaught 2007 both "Century" Comets. Gulf War I 1990, Tsunami, global warming, HIV, New Orleans, Hurricanes, Mass Media assault upon Christianity, Catastrophe abounds..... This is not coincidence! God is merciful, repent the ned is here!!! |
| 109. |
Posted by JL on 01/12/2007, 11:40 Once again, I reiterate, you people are complete morons, idiots, losers, dumbasses, pieces of trash, a drain on society, and a waste of hard drive space on this web server. |
| 108. |
Posted by Dave on 01/12/2007, 09:35 That has to be Elvis after he broke wind and launched himmself from the Hardys he works at in Bumfuck, Idaho. |
| 107. |
Posted by Unbelievable on 01/11/2007, 18:29 I can't believe I read everyone of these posts.... Neither can I believe that such stupid, ignorant, people exist in our society. And for my Christian friends, you would be better off shouting your doomsday messages on a corner, or in the church, but your foolishness is wasted here. |
| 106. |
Posted by Wolf Blitzer on 01/11/2007, 16:36 It made me laugh. |
| 105. |
Posted by Chris Schmitt on 01/11/2007, 13:20 A great deal of you people need to be under the care of a team of doctors. |
| 104. |
Posted by Chris Schmitt on 01/11/2007, 13:19 A great deal of you people need to be under the care of a team of doctors. |
| 103. |
Posted by MASTA on 01/11/2007, 08:14 Ding-Dong, Huggie Bear and the the Cinematographer greet you all with the utmost contempt! Bow and offer your services to us and you might not suffer. |
| 102. |
Posted by Satan on 01/11/2007, 00:30 "to those who would not believe they are condemned already!" Condemned to what? Higher intelligence? |
| 101. |
Posted by John on 01/10/2007, 22:56 Please understand this whether it is a sign from God or not,it may be fun to joke! See who can make the best comment that slanders others but when you stand before Christ you'd better understand one thing (JOHN 14:6) or you'll be crying for what you thought you knew. Think about it Eternity lost cause you wanted to be bold and funny! God is LOVE first and he is justice and truth! Oh and remember these words I pray because I want to see your forever come to you! Jesus came not into the world to condemn it but to but to save it and to those who would not believe they are condemned already! |
| 100. |
Posted by Repent! on 01/10/2007, 22:27 TREMBLE AND KNOW FEAR, YE MORTALS! This is no comet. This is the fulfilling of prophecy! Behold, the Flying Spaghetti Monster has raised one of His Noodly Appendages and cast down the Meatball of Judgement. |
| 99. |
Posted by jesse ventura on 01/10/2007, 20:52 i think it is a comet. |
| 98. |
Posted by PacoLlips Now on 01/10/2007, 20:50 EMMMMMM Taco Bell time!!!! |
| 97. |
Posted by Special on 01/10/2007, 19:46 You democrats make me sick. Go back to where u all have came from u dumb people. HA HA HA! |
| 96. |
Posted by ShordenBred on 01/10/2007, 19:10 Hugo Chavez just stated that "That was no Comet, that's Bush's ass after I kick out of orbit, byt he way, free gas for Democrats tooo" Viva la Raza |
| 95. |
Posted by ShordenBred on 01/10/2007, 19:04 Iran just released the news that the comet is a Bush plot to overthrow the Islamic world by force----they're gonna nuke it before they nuke New York |
| 94. |
Posted by cassus clay on 01/10/2007, 18:35 they have come for farahchan |
| 93. |
Posted by frankie too on 01/10/2007, 18:32 The "inconvenient truth" is that it is due to global warming |
| 92. |
Posted by Z25 on 01/10/2007, 18:30 LOL you guys are so funny, man, but hey, abinitviovici is right people, repent your sins and ask for forgivness, i mean, how hard is that? just go in with a true heart. John 3:16 " For God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son that whoever beleives in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life". |
| 91. |
Posted by frankie on 01/10/2007, 18:02 Hey Mo'h cut the head of that comet. Hey Mo'h lie and wait in ambush and kill that comet. Hey Mo'h try playing with yourself. Gotta be better than killing for no reason. THE COMET'S A SIGN!!!!! |
| 90. |
Posted by Terry_Jim on 01/10/2007, 17:54 Looks like Heaven's Gate got on the wrong bus. |
| 89. |
Posted by DAVE (other one) on 01/10/2007, 17:54 I had to go poo poo once....... |
| 88. |
Posted by Mark Mcguire on 01/10/2007, 17:54 Oh...almost forgot. I was the most overrated sports star since Michael Jordan. I think Albert Poopholes will surpass me in overratedness, though. |
| 87. |
Posted by Terry_Jim on 01/10/2007, 17:52 A radio signal was recieved from behind the comet asking for some guy named " Marshall Applewhite " to beam up. Any idea what that's all about ? |
| 86. |
Posted by Wormwood on 01/10/2007, 17:52 When will they name it after me?? |
| 85. |
Posted by Barack Obama on 01/10/2007, 17:51 I confess, I AM a muslim. I'm just not intellectually strong enough to be a Christian. Allah is a ***, but I'm a faggot lover, so it all works out. P.S. Please DON'T vote for me. |
| 84. |
Posted by Mark Mcguire on 01/10/2007, 17:49 They didnt vote me in to cooperstown, thus the wraith of the baseball gods has come.. actually that was my 69th. homerun from the 98 season still seen floating in orbit.... |
| 83. |
Posted by Beefed Corn on 01/10/2007, 17:48 When the next comet or, more likely, asteroid slams into earth may the brain dead zealots from all religions be the first and last to die. Good riddance. Too bad this one won't do the job. |
| 82. |
Posted by Paris Hilton on 01/10/2007, 17:42 I'm pretty, bright and have a nice tail too! I'm best to watch at night also ;) |
| 81. |
Posted by Paris Hilton on 01/10/2007, 17:41 I'm bright and have a nice tail too! I'm best to watch at night also ;) |
| 80. |
Posted by Al Gore on 01/10/2007, 17:38 Don't forget that I invented comets! |
| 79. |
Posted by Mohamed on 01/10/2007, 17:38 Infidels! Behold the ... wait a minute... a comet? ... i will update that in my Koran. I meant to explain that the first time around but forgot. My bad. |
| 78. |
Posted by John F. Kerry on 01/10/2007, 17:35 I actually voted for this comet, before I voted against it! |
| 77. |
Posted by JRod on 01/10/2007, 17:32 Its the government testing a new aircraft |
| 76. |
Posted by The BIG Guy on 01/10/2007, 17:31 Become Sanctuary for Life |
| 75. |
Posted by John Keyes on 01/10/2007, 17:31 Nancy Pelosi has outlawed all comets.. She is afraid of second hand dust from the comets tail.. |
| 74. |
Posted by Al Sharpton on 01/10/2007, 17:30 oooga booogaaa.... Colombongo is angry with us.... must shake spear at sky in anger!! |
| 73. |
Posted by Hillary Clinton on 01/10/2007, 17:29 ALL SHALL LOVE ME OR DESPAIR!!!! |
| 72. |
Posted by Nancy Pelosi on 01/10/2007, 17:28 I plan on convening a commitee to find out when Bush knew about this comet and why he lied to the American people about this comet. |
| 71. |
Posted by Ted Kennedy on 01/10/2007, 17:25 I was distracted by a comet in the sky and didnt see the road, thats how I ended up in the river. |
| 70. |
Posted by Al Gore on 01/10/2007, 17:24 I invented this comet |
| 69. |
Posted by Sean Galt on 01/10/2007, 17:20 Mahlegeth Rules! I love Dave Mustaine's vocals! Oh, wait... |
| 68. |
Posted by Bill Crow... on 01/10/2007, 17:19 It would be nice if the dates of duration, most visible, etc were posted |
| 67. |
Posted by Mr. Spock on 01/10/2007, 17:15 The captain was ready to beam up all "intelligent" life forms; however, after reading the majority of comments on this comet, he left. |
| 66. |
Posted by NEO-CON on 01/10/2007, 17:12 It's Clinton's fault, he was too busy getting serviced in the oval office and much like al Qaeda he ignored the threat of this comet. |
| 65. |
Posted by Harbinger on 01/10/2007, 17:09 This is surely a sign. A sign that 50 + "humans" have nothing to do but babble about a comet. Hannah Babka Maybe we should all be vanquished. All of this stupid fighting is getting boring. We should see what religion can feed the most hungry. Not behead or maim the most innocent bystanders. Bring on the comet! |
| 64. |
Posted by The Dark Ages on 01/10/2007, 17:06 The Dark Ages Ain’t Got Noth’n On Us! Yes siree-Bob! Backward superstition now has the internet. Now we can be ignorant more efficiently than ever. Hooray for us! |
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