Астронет: Астрономическая картинка дня Приближение кометы LINEAR http://variable-stars.ru/db/msg/1166658/eng |
Credit & Copyright: Wil Milan
Explanation:
Just possibly, a new
comet may become bright enough to see without
binoculars later this month.
Comet C/1999 S4 LINEAR is rapidly approaching both the
Earth and the
Sun from the outer
Solar System,
and should be at its brightest around 2000 July 25
in the early evening sky of northern observers.
The
comet was discovered
by chance by
project LINEAR last September.
The
above time-lapse sequence of Comet LINEAR was taken on 2000 July 2 from
Arizona
and shows the comet's movement over only 19 minutes.
Although
Comet LINEAR's positions will be known quite accurately,
the comet's future brightness and
tail length can only be guessed,
and it is quite possible that neither will become very impressive.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.