Comet Coming

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/newly-discovered-comet-may-outshine-moon-112511688.html

 

I was working in Cornwall when Hale-Bopp was here, good clear skies down there. There was another one about the same time, can't remember the name though.

 

As long as its nowt like Tunguska:

http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2008/30jun_tunguska/

 

I'm only a young-un.
I missed the last one!

 

You beat me to it John

 

Is this an Omen though?

 

Anyone got any bits of stuff that have fallen out of space please send them to me, new collecting hobby after selling John my bottle collection

 

Could turn out to be a damp squib - comets are unpredictable like that - or the papers could be right, for once, in predicting a "once in a civilisation's event" - that would be cool to live through (if we make it past the Mayan deadline this December ...)

Anyways, at least its a Northern Hemisphere event this time

Its coming in on a path that is basically "from infinity", so most likely never been past the sun before, so if it has sufficient ice it will be spectacular ... but its aiming very close to the Sun, so may break up going around it - but if it doesn't the out-bound journey is likely to be spectacular too. Low in the sky though, so only viewable close to dusk/sunrise, which is not ideal.

"one of the brightest lights in the sky - even outshining the Moon" how hard could it have been for them to get that bit quoted correctly?

"Brighter than the moon" is a possibility, but at the time it is that bright it will be so close to the sun that we won't be able to see it ... so it ain't going to "outshine the moon". But if it achieves anticipated brightness it will be bright enough to view even from light polluted cities with the naked eye in the last few days before/after it gets to the sun - assuming people in the cities can get a clear view for the low-down object.

Bit close to Christmas too ... I wonder when the Wise Men will set off to follow it? !!

 

We were lead by a star