Comet C 2002 T7 (LINEAR)
Explanation:
Discovered by the the Lincoln Near Earth Asteroid Research (LINEAR)
project in October of 2002,
comet C/2002 T7 is now visiting the
inner solar system, making its closest approach
(see animation by
L. Koehn)
to the Sun tomorrow, April 23rd.
Emerging from the solar glare, the
comet is
now just visible to
the unaided eye in the constellation Pisces, near the eastern horizon
in morning twilight.
In this
gorgeous telescopic view
recorded before dawn
yesterday, the clearly active comet has developed an extensive, complex
tail extending over 2 degrees in
the anti-sunward direction, and a pronounced
anti-tail or
anomalous tail.
Later next month this comet should appear brighter,
making its closest approach to planet Earth on May 19th.
In fact, it could
share southern skies with another naked-eye comet,
also anticipated to brighten in May, designated C/2001 Q4 (NEAT).
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.
