Wednesday, January 2, 2013

COMET(s) of THE CENTURY

The name commands respect, suggests grandeur, and the name would be correct. Expected in 2013 is a comet that will burn bright and intense enough to light up the sky more than our very own moon. Of course this is pure speculation as first this comet will have to survive its close call with the Sun. The name of this illustrious Comet is ISO; Named for the International Scientific Optical Network who discovered ISON.

When is it coming? You have plenty of time to prepare, maybe grab a good seat to view it. ISON is due to show what is expected to be a glorious tail in the night sky sometime between October 2013 and January 2014. If ISON survives its close encounter with the Sun, the Sun will vaporize its tail of icicles and we will get not only a great show but will be able to view it without a telescope.

A comet is a mixture of rock and dust, frozen gases and originates from the Kuiper Belt out past Jupiter. A comet is distinguished from an Asteroid by its Coma or its Tail. A Coma is a thin fuzzy temporary atmosphere that is formed when the comet passes close to the Sun. The Tail refers to the streaming gases and dust that illuminate from the ionization.

We are quite lucky as most comets cannot be seen with the naked eye, Actually we are twice as lucky as you may thing! 2013 ALSO brings us the comet PANSTARRS.Towards March it will appear in the neighborhood of Polaris, though it starts its trek only visible in the Southern Hemisphere before making its way into the Northern Hemisphere and promising to light up the morning sky. That is if it doesn’t fizz out!

Both ISON & PANSTARRS have the ability to pack a lot of shock & awe or fizz out. But then again these two comets have the potential to be the brightest comets of our lifetimes!

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