Newly-discovered comet to shine brightly in 2013

[knapplc]

New comet might blaze brighter than the full Moon

 

A new comet has been discovered that is predicted to blaze incredibly brilliantly in the skies during late 2013. With a perihelion passage of less than two million kilometres from the Sun on 28 November 2013, current predictions are of an object that will dazzle the eye at up to magnitude —16. That's far brighter than the full Moon. If predictions hold true then C/2012 S1 will certainly be one of the greatest comets in human history, far outshining the memorable Comet Hale-Bopp of 1997 and very likely to outdo the long-awaited Comet Pan-STARRS (C/2011 L4) which is set to stun in March 2013.

 

The new comet, named C/2012 S1 (ISON) was found by the International Scientific Optical Network (ISON) in Russia on 21 September when astronomers Vitali Nevski and Artyom Novichonok captured it on CCD images taken through a 0.4-metre reflector. Its near-parabolic orbit suggests that it has arrived fresh from the Oort Cloud, a vast zone of icy objects orbiting the Sun, pristine remnants of the formation of the Solar System.

 

C/2012 S1 currently resides in the northwestern corner of Cancer. At magnitude +18 it is too dim to be seen visually but it will be within the reach of experienced amateur astronomers with CCD equipment in the coming months as it brightens. It is expected to reach binocular visibility by late summer 2013 and a naked eye object in early November of that year. Northern hemisphere observers are highly favoured. Following its peak brightness in late November it will remain visible without optical aid until mid-January 2014.

[Blackshirts007]

that sounds cool, hopefully it isnt too bright so we can look directly at it.

[jimk]

Hopefully it doesn't land here.

[tschu]

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSS

 

IM A SPACE NERD IM SO PUMPED

 

-16? Mother of God that's nuts, this is seriously one of the most exciting things ever for me. I remember being utterly fascinated by Hale-Bopp as a kid. I would look up between the neighbor's trees every night and just watch it. Comets are fascinating.

 

It just sucks that other than Halley's comet, the best comet experiences like this happen either totally at random from objects being gravitationally "bumped" from the Oort cloud, or from comets with such absurdly long orbital periods that they may not have even visited us in human history. In other words, this may be the best comet viewing experience of your lifetime. (I'd be willing to bet it is.) Halley's doesn't return until 2062? (I think) and when it does, it won't even be that bright. Quick googling says -0.3 magnitude.

 

For those who are unaware of the apparent magnitude scale, a few examples might help to explain just how bright this comet will be:

 

+8 Neptune

+7 Uranus (yeah, yeah)

+2.1 1986 passing of Halley's Comet

+2 Polaris (North Star)

0 Saturn

-0.3 2062 Halley's comet

-1 Sirius

-3 Mars at its brightest

-5 Venus

-10.5 Comet Hale-Bopp in 1997

-13 Full Moon

-16 C/2012 S1

-27 Daytime Sun

 

CAN'T WAIT!

[GSG]

When's the next Halley's Comet?

 

[GM_Tood]

[Landlord]

I call shenanigans. This deserves to be in Rumorville

[MLB 51]

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSS

 

IM A SPACE NERD IM SO PUMPED

 

-16? Mother of God that's nuts, this is seriously one of the most exciting things ever for me. I remember being utterly fascinated by Hale-Bopp as a kid. I would look up between the neighbor's trees every night and just watch it. Comets are fascinating.

 

It just sucks that other than Halley's comet, the best comet experiences like this happen either totally at random from objects being gravitationally "bumped" from the Oort cloud, or from comets with such absurdly long orbital periods that they may not have even visited us in human history. In other words, this may be the best comet viewing experience of your lifetime. (I'd be willing to bet it is.) Halley's doesn't return until 2062? (I think) and when it does, it won't even be that bright. Quick googling says -0.3 magnitude.

 

For those who are unaware of the apparent magnitude scale, a few examples might help to explain just how bright this comet will be:

 

+8 Neptune

+7 Uranus (yeah, yeah)

+2.1 1986 passing of Halley's Comet

+2 Polaris (North Star)

0 Saturn

-0.3 2062 Halley's comet

-1 Sirius

-3 Mars at its brightest

-5 Venus

-10.5 Comet Hale-Bopp in 1997

-13 Full Moon

-16 C/2012 S1

-27 Daytime Sun

 

CAN'T WAIT!

Kind of space nerd myself. Always wanted to learn physics. Just not smart enough.