Comet’s Brush with Oblivion
December 21st 2011 03:55
Category: Comets
Comet Lovejoy (C/2011 W3) NASA image
Transitory comets come in from the cold outer reaches of the Solar System. They make the tremendous journey some taking many decades to complete the round trip around the Sun.
Some comets do not survive the round trip. Many comets simply fade or are destroyed by the intense gravitational forces, radiation and heat from the sun.
Most times comets are far enough away from the sun and remain relatively unscathed as they make the return journey from the point of origin.
Comets nearing the sun usually brighten shedding most of their mantle of dust and ice.
Comets can replenish the lost ice and dust as they make their way back to the colder reaches of space.
Comet Lovejoy (C/2011 W3 was only discovered a couple of weeks ago. One of many discovered by Australian astronomer Terry Lovejoy. The comet was thought to have met its doom when it approached the Sun and came within 121,000 km of the sun.
Astronomers were surprised to see the comet surviving the close encounter with the sun.
Comet Lovejoy had survived the sun's corona which is several million degrees and emerging from the depths of hell.
The comet most probably survived the ordeal because it was larger than expected.
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