Comet Elenin Heading Our Way
April 13th 2011 00:00
Category: Comets
Several CCD images stacked showing Comet Elenin as it appeared on March 14, 2011; Image by Giovanni Sostero & Ernesto Guido
Comet Elenin (C/2010 X1) is making an appearance but don’t rush just yet as the comet is only visible through a telescope. Elenin made a brief appearance last December. Early observations show that the comet has promise and will be bright enough to be seen in September 2011.
CURRENT MOON
Elenin is still heading inward towards our Sun at the current distance Elenin is too far away at the present time to show much. As the comet reaches perihelion ( closest approach) comets can be vaporized by the intense heat and solar radiation form the Sun.
In the coming months as the comet gets closer to the sun the very faint fuzz ball will begin to activate. If the comet makes it around the Sun at a distance of 45 million miles you will bw able to see it in the morning sky with a pair of binoculars.
Some may remember
Comet Kohoutek 1974 NASA image
Unfortunately this was not the case for comet Kohoutek the comet was torn apart and subsequently vanished. Predicating how a comet will evolve or behave is not an exact science. Most comets survive this relatively close encounter with the sun and emerge, some comets may have an altered appearance, perhaps sporting a more brilliant tail. Others, affected by the sun's powerful gravity, have broken up and vanished.
No doubt there will be some rambling in the coming months from the members of the "Peanut gallery" writing tails of woe.
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