Comet brings in the new year
January 1st 2008 06:27
Comet brings in the new year. It has been 13.6 years since its last appearance, but now Comet 8P/Tuttle is again making a pass through the inner solar system. It makes its closest appraoch to Earth on January 1st and 2nd, 2008 but you should be able to easily spot it now with your naked eye. With a predicted magnitude of 5.8, watch for the emerald-colored comet in your night skies.
Comet 8P/Tuttle has left M33 behind and heading toward Earth. On Jan. 1st and 2nd the comet makes its closest approach to our planet--only 24 million miles away. The emerald-colored comet will make a fine target for backyard telescopes. Unfortunately for people on the east coast of Queensland are experiencing a increase in cloud cover making it difficult to see the comet. The comet will still be visable for the next few evenings. The place to look is North west around 8:300 pm Eastern daylight time just above the horizon you may be able to see a faint fuzzy looking star like object. Since Comet 8P/Tuttle was first discovered back in 1790, it has had 5 close approaches to the Earth.
A further update on asteroid 2007 WD
Astronomers have identified asteroid 2007 WD 5 in archival imagery. With these new observations, scientists at NASA's Near-Earth Object Program Office at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, have refined their trajectory estimates for the asteroid. Based on this latest analysis, the odds for the asteroid impacting Mars on Jan. 30 are now about 4 percent.
See images of the comet
Comet 8P/Tuttle has left M33 behind and heading toward Earth. On Jan. 1st and 2nd the comet makes its closest approach to our planet--only 24 million miles away. The emerald-colored comet will make a fine target for backyard telescopes. Unfortunately for people on the east coast of Queensland are experiencing a increase in cloud cover making it difficult to see the comet. The comet will still be visable for the next few evenings. The place to look is North west around 8:300 pm Eastern daylight time just above the horizon you may be able to see a faint fuzzy looking star like object. Since Comet 8P/Tuttle was first discovered back in 1790, it has had 5 close approaches to the Earth.
A further update on asteroid 2007 WD
Astronomers have identified asteroid 2007 WD 5 in archival imagery. With these new observations, scientists at NASA's Near-Earth Object Program Office at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, have refined their trajectory estimates for the asteroid. Based on this latest analysis, the odds for the asteroid impacting Mars on Jan. 30 are now about 4 percent.
See images of the comet
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Comment by Lilla
Enviro Warrior
An Extra Ordinary Life
Dream Herald
This one would have been worth dragging the telescope out ... *laughs* it's certainly "some sort" of hurricane we have blowing clouds everywhere ... it'd probably just shake too much anyway, even without the continual rain...
I enjoyed the images, thanks for the link.
Lilla ...
Comment by CarlCan
Astroearth
I live near the Gold coast although the weather and rain have been very welcome the clouds makes star gazing a little difficult. I was hoping to photograph the comet but that is not likely with the heavy cloud cover, still fingerd crossed.