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Newly discoverd comet.
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| Destroyer123 | Date: Wednesday, 03.10.2012, 06:53 | Message # 1 |
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Astronaut
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| Hello read this it is very cool.
The Mayan Apocalypse nutcases will pass out when they learn that two Russian astronomers have discovered a new and gigantic comet coming in our direction—a huge two-mile wide ball of ice and rock that "may [become] one of the brightest in history." The comet is now passing by Saturn, gaining speed and becoming brighter by the day.
The silver surfer was discovered by Russian astronomers Artyom Novichonok and Vitali Nevski, of the International Scientific Optical Network near Kislovodsk, Russia. The sighting has been confirmed by other observatories and the International Astronomical Union. Scientist believe that, given the comet orbit, its origin may be the Oort Cloud, a (theoretical) spherical cloud of comets surrounding the solar system, located almost a light-year from the Sun.
Named 2012 S1, the comet is following a similar orbit to that of the Great Comet of 1680, which is considered one of the greatest sky shows in history. It could become so luminous that, scientists believe, it may get brighter than the full moon.
But don't worry. Like every other recorded comet, this one is not going to kill us, bring the plague or announce the end of the world. In fact, it may kill itself first.
According to astronomers at the Remanzacco Observatory, Italy, 2012 S1 "will get to within 0.012AU of the Sun at the end of November 2013 and then to ~0.4AU from Earth at the beginning of January 2014!" 0.012AU is only 1,115,469 miles, which given the Sun's fiery nature, may be too close for the comet to survive.
If it does, however, then it will be only at 37 million miles from Earth. That's when the show will be the best.
How good? It's hard to predict, but according to astronomer Raminder Singh Samra—of the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre in Vancouver, Canada—"if it lives up to expectations, this comet may be one of the brightest in history." Samra says that, at this early stage, the comet is "remarkably bright."
Above: 2012 S1 zooming by Saturn.
Oh, and one last note to the Mayan death and doom-mongers: the universe apologizes but, despite its name, 2012 S1 is actually arriving in 2013 holiday season. You would be able to see it with binoculars around August 2013. By late October, it will be visible to the naked eye.
But don't worry, I'm sure you will be alive then to tell everyone how this comet is going to kill us all. [Nature, New Scientist and Wikipedia—Thanks Gonzalo!] BTW i copied this from a weebsite so you can read fully and i wont miss anything
"Somewhere something incredibly is wating to be known"
Carl sagan
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| Watsisname | Date: Wednesday, 03.10.2012, 08:26 | Message # 2 |
 Galaxy Architect
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| The first person I hear IRL to connect this comet to 2012 apocalypse nonsense wins my endless scorn. 
It's pretty impressive that its so bright already for being still so far from the sun. If it doesn't fizzle out first it should be truly epic around perihelion. IIRC it also favors viewers in the northern hemisphere, unlike many of the more recent great comets which gave their best show to the southerners. (I would have given anything to see McNaught). The last naked-eye comet I saw was Holmes after it 'blew up'.
Anyone remember Hale-Bopp? That was a really nice one too.
Edited by Watsisname - Wednesday, 03.10.2012, 08:28 |
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| Destroyer123 | Date: Wednesday, 03.10.2012, 08:42 | Message # 3 |
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Astronaut
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| Watsisname, Well i dident live when hale boop arrived wish i did. But lucky i live in sweden and sweden is in the north so 
"Somewhere something incredibly is wating to be known"
Carl sagan
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| HarbingerDawn | Date: Wednesday, 03.10.2012, 14:33 | Message # 4 |
 Cosmic Curator
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| Quote (Watsisname) I would have given anything to see McNaught
Me too  Though apparently near perihelion it was visible in broad daylight so we could have seen it then (I only discovered this recently; made me very sad).
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| apenpaap | Date: Wednesday, 03.10.2012, 16:16 | Message # 5 |
 World Builder
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| Quote (Watsisname) Anyone remember Hale-Bopp? That was a really nice one too.
I was only six years old at the time, but I remember seeing it with my father. Really beautiful.
I occasionally stream at http://www.twitch.tv/magistermystax. Sometimes SE, sometimes other games.
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| DoctorOfSpace | Date: Wednesday, 03.10.2012, 16:50 | Message # 6 |
 Galaxy Architect
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| Quote (Watsisname) Anyone remember Hale-Bopp? That was a really nice one too.
Can't wait to see it again in 4385, should make a great Christmas 
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| Watsisname | Date: Thursday, 04.10.2012, 01:58 | Message # 7 |
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Galaxy Architect
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| Quote (HarbingerDawn) Quote (Watsisname)
I would have given anything to see McNaught
Me too sad Though apparently near perihelion it was visible in broad daylight so we could have seen it then (I only discovered this recently; made me very sad).
Same here, I didn't learn until much later that it had become so bright. But with any luck this new comet will put on a great show for us in a little over a year. 
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| DaninAus | Date: Thursday, 04.10.2012, 02:59 | Message # 8 |
 Space Tourist
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| Will people in the southern hemisphere be able to see it at all? Like people in Australia?
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| Watsisname | Date: Thursday, 04.10.2012, 04:01 | Message # 9 |
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Galaxy Architect
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| I believe so, especially before and around its closest approach to the sun.
Right now the comet is roughly at the distance of Jupiter, and a bit above the plane of the solar system (so more easily visible in the northern sky). But as it passes between the orbits of Earth and Venus it will dip to the south (crossing the ecliptic around November 9th, 2013), where it will be well visible from everybody on Earth. It swings around the sun on November 28, then heads outward and up to favor northern-hemisphere viewers. But you should still see the best parts of the show, assuming it holds together until then. (Comets are notoriously unpredictable when it comes to how bright they get.)
You can see a visualization of its orbit here.
A prediction of the comets brightness and angular separation from the Sun can also be seen here. At perihelion the predicted brightness is well into the negatives, so quite bright!
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| SpaceEngineer | Date: Thursday, 04.10.2012, 08:29 | Message # 10 |
 Author of Space Engine
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| Hale-Bopp is the only comet I have seen in my life. I hope C/2012 S1 (this is how it is named) will be much more of a greater show
[offtop] I dream that one day a huge 100-km size comet will impact Venus, blowing out its atmosphere, creating oceans from its ice, and will speed up the planet's rotation rate. This will be the best gift from the Universe for us [/offtop]
*
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| HarbingerDawn | Date: Thursday, 04.10.2012, 16:17 | Message # 11 |
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Cosmic Curator
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| Quote (SpaceEngineer) I dream that one day a huge 100-km size comet will impact Venus, blowing out its atmosphere, creating oceans from its ice, and will speed up the planet's rotation rate.
I doubt that even an impact like that could have that effect, but it is nice to dream about it
Quote (SpaceEngineer) Hale-Bopp is the only comet I have seen in my life.
I was alive when Hale-Bopp came, but I don't remember seeing it So I have yet to see any comet with the naked eye.*
*I did see the 2007 outburst of 17P/Holmes, but that looked like little more than a star when I observed it; only my telescope showed it as a nebulous sphere.
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Edited by HarbingerDawn - Thursday, 04.10.2012, 16:21 |
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| Antza2 | Date: Thursday, 04.10.2012, 17:13 | Message # 12 |
 World Builder
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Finland
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| Quote (HarbingerDawn) I doubt that even an impact like that could have that effect, but it is nice to dream about it
I think that if Venus collides with an object that is big enough to blast out its atmosphere, we here on Earth would get pretty screwed too. There could be massive amounts of debris heading our way.
It's nice to imagine Venus as a habitable planet though.
I wonder how much it would cost to travel there. 
Go to antza2.deviantart.com for cool photos!
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| OrbitalResonance | Date: Tuesday, 09.10.2012, 04:14 | Message # 13 |
 Astronaut
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| Or to at least make it cognizable :P
"We make our world significant by the courage of our questions and the depth of our answers" - Carl Sagan
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