Comet Linear (WM1) Brightens
Explanation:
A comet bright enough to be seen with binoculars
is swooping into southern skies.
Comet C/2000 WM1 (LINEAR) continues to brighten and develop
tails as it nears its
closest approach of the Sun in late January 2002.
Comet LINEAR
WM1 was discovered over a year ago when it was out past
Jupiter and still very faint.
In the above picture from the
Curtis Schmidt 0.6-meter Telescope in
Chile, a 30-second exposure in red on December 4
captured detail in Comet
LINEAR WM1's emerging
dust tail.
Optimistic sky watchers hope that
Comet LINEAR WM1 will
undergo an even greater (and unexpected) brightening
to the point where its
coma and tails are easily discernable to the unaided eye.
Comet LINEAR WM1 is being watched with
particular interest by astronomers because its
ion tail might yield clues
to understanding the
solar wind expelled from near the Sun's poles.
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.
