[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]
(meteorobs) An apology about prospective comet for Xmas 2001
<< If it were to behave like an average comet, it might be expected to reach
magnitude 4.6 by mid-December 2001. This is bright enough to be easily
visible to the naked-eye from a dark site. However, if it is a new comet and
brightens rapidly initially, it could even be significantly better than
this. A new comet often has a layer of very volatile carbon monoxide ice on
the surface of its nucleus. This ice coating sublimes violently at a large
distance from the Sun, making the comet brighten very rapidly - at least
initially - although close to the Sun such comets "slow down" considerably.
>>
I didn't read this news release through more carefully . . . the above
statement makes no sense. If this turns out to be a "new" Oort comet, then
it would -- in all likelyhood -- fizzle out long before it reached our orbit.
Besides that, perigee comes a month before perihelion, so the thing wouldn't
be well-developed at all and probably wouldn't be much more than a fuzz-ball
with an uninspiring tail.
Sorry about initially spreading the news about this . . . I'm so far behind
in my Christmas stuff, I just rushed right through this without thinking.
Happy Holidays!
-- joe
To UNSUBSCRIBE from the 'meteorobs' email list, use the Web form at:
http://www.tiacdot net/users/lewkaren/meteorobs/subscribe.html