Comet Is Coming

[Buttercup McToots]

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/A_Bright_Comet_Is_Coming_999.html

A Bright Comet Is Coming

Comet McNaught from Hammerfest, Norway Jan. 6, 2007. Credit: Roger Johansen.

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 fromSpaceweather.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

by Staff Writers
Washington DC (SPX) Jan 11, 2007
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. 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.

[Dogmudgeon]

1. Here's the Official Drill:

1. Post "Cool!"

2. Ask what the Fundamentalists think of this, and make a "joke" about creationism.

3. Post a graphic of the Flying Spaghetti (or Bean Sprout) Monster.

4. Next person posts "Cool!" etc.

5. Repeat.

--p!

[NMDemDist2]

2. cool! i'll get my binocs ready

:P

[jpak]

3. cool!

n/t

:evilgrin:

[SpiralHawk]

28. What's really COOL is that I got a photo of the comet !

And, after sniffing, it absolutely PROVES (Using situational science) that George AWOL Bush is a member of the OCCULT Skull & Boner DARKSIDE Cabal of republicons.

[Mabus]

4. I wonder what the Fundamentalists think of this

and how comets fit into creationism?


:P :evilgrin:

Just for you Pigwidgeon.

[wryter2000]

5. OMGOMGOMGOMG

Cool is too lame.

I loved Hyakutake and Hale Bopp. I have a picture of Hale Bopp on my coffee table. If this one is even better (as Rachel and Kent just said), all I can say is...

:wow: :woohoo: :wow: :woohoo: :wow: :woohoo:

[northofdenali]

9. Hale Bopp was awesome -

IF I can find our pic, I'll scan and post it (it was pre-digital era for me) because it was during the Fairbanks International Ice Art Competition and the shot we got had some Aurora in it as well!

[wryter2000]

21. Please

Please do post some pics. I'd love to have them for wallpaper on my computer. Pleeeeeze

[northofdenali]

26. I'll have to DIG!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But since you're begging....... anyway, I've set the spouse on this project. May take a couple of days!! (We take lots of photos!) I'll PM you in a few, see what format you'd like them in.

[lonestarnot]

6. Way cool!

:applause: Can't wait to see the pics!

[bananas]

7. Flying Spaghetti Monster!

[Canadian Socialist]

25. Well, ta very much, bananas

Now I'm hungry... And not just any hungry! I now want pasta with a lot of cheese and garlic. Excellent! Most triumphant!

[alfredo]

8. Here's the view from SOHO LASCO3

http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/hotshots/

It is probably too close to the Sun to see it right now. Not sure about where it will be when it emerges from the other side. for now watch it through the SOHO LASCO3


Check the SOHO page (the above link) to watch its progress past the sun.

[and-justice-for-all]

10. Its not a Comet at all....

..Its really a Alien Planetary Observer, its evaulating the Solar System for possible habital planets for their exapansion of the galaxy and other life forms.


Just kidding.

[alfredo]

14. As long as they clean up after themselves, don't play

their music too loud or otherwise don't break the neighborhood association rules, they are welcomed.

[PuraVidaDreamin]

11. It's beautiful! Saw it a few night ago!

Just after sunset overlooking the bay!

Gave me energy!

[wryter2000]

20. SF bay?

I watch comets from the Oakland hills. I discovered last night that I can't find the binocs. Wah. I wonder if I can look at it through one of my husband's cameras with a telephoto lens. I never could figure out how to take pictures with those things, but maybe I'll try.

I'd like to go in the morning if possible. Evenings get too busy.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

12. Cool!

I wonder what the Flying Spaghetti Monster thinks of all this?

[blues90]

13. From the title I thought it was some new sort of bomb

[roamer65]

15. My ride home is here...

I'll see you all later.:crazy: :silly:

[Rainscents]

16. Check out this latest SOHO!!!

Everyone is afraid of what might happen when it passes close by Sun on the 14th or the 15th!!! They both have very strong magnatics... Watch this video from 2002 when comet passed close by Sun!!!

http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/gallery/Movies/2comets_C2/2comets_C2sm.mpg
http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/gallery/Movies/cometM/cometMsm.mpg

[hootinholler]

17. Nah, it's just breathing hard...

It will be a while before it comes.

-Hoot

[Akoto]

18. ...

:spray:

[AnnieBW]

19. Comets Preceding Disasters, Change of Regimes

The ancients viewed comets as harbingers of disasters, changes in leadership, etc. Hopefully, this comet will be an omen for good instead of a disaster.

[wryter2000]

22. It better not have WMD's

or we're all in trouble. :hide:

[EstimatedProphet]

23. Wait - are you saying the comet is coming from Norway?!?

:silly:

From what I have heard, this promises to be a good one. Maybe another Hyakutake. That comet was beautiful!

[Clark2008]

24. Awww... I got a comet for my birthday (Jan. 12).

:bounce:

[alfredo]

27. Comet is visible in broad daylight

http://www.spaceweather.com/



Latest SOHO images:

http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/data/realtime/c3/512/