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Credit & Copyright: JosÈ J. ChambÑ
(Cometografia)
Explanation:
Comet Linear has become unexpectedly bright.
The comet, discovered in 2000, underwent a
100-fold outburst
just a week before it passed a mere 14
lunar distances
from Earth late last month.
The comet was
captured here
last week at about
magnitude 6 --
just bright enough to be seen by the
unaided eye -- passing in front of the distant
globular star
cluster M14.
Comet 252/P LINEAR is one
of a
rare group of comets
that vacillate between the Earth and Jupiter every 5 years.
How the comet will evolve from here is unknown,
but hopes run high that
it
will remain a good object for binoculars in northern skies
for the next week or two.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: globular cluster
Publications with words: globular cluster
See also: