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As Above So Below
Comet With Glowing Green Atmosphere Twice the Size of Jupiter May be Visible to the Naked Eye
A comet en-route to our solar system has dramatically increased in brightness and carries with it a giant, glowing green atmosphere twice the size of Jupiter, according to astronomers. The comet, PANSTARRS (C/2017 S3), is visible with low power telescopes now, but if it does continue to increase in brightness it may be visible to the naked eye in parts of the northern hemisphere in early August.
It might also disintegrate due to the gas cloud, and as it’s the first time the comet has passed through our solar system, there’s no telling what might happen when the comet’s visit brings it inside Mercury’s orbit and it takes a face-full of unfiltered sunshine.
Writing in Sky and Telescope, astronomer Bob King describes the comet’s extreme increase in brightness:
The comet’s approach will bring it inside Mercury’s orbit.
A gas outburst in this case refers to a crack or other sudden leak in a comet’s ice surface, which releases gas previously trapped in pressurized caverns. This gas reflects light and a continuing outburst may either increase the comet’s brightness to visible levels, inevitably sparking fearful YouTube videos and a non-trivial amount of references to Nibiru or it may just disintegrate before we get a chance to see it. Easy come, easy go.
Even if it never reaches brightness visible to the naked eye, you’ll still be able to see it with binoculars, according to Bob King:
The comet Lovejoy as seen from the International Space Station
If you’re interested in trying to observe the comet, there’s more information on how to do so and where in the world the comet will be visible from at Sky and Telescope.
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A comet en-route to our solar system has dramatically increased in brightness and carries with it a giant, glowing green atmosphere twice the size of Jupiter, according to astronomers. The comet, PANSTARRS (C/2017 S3), is visible with low power telescopes now, but if it does continue to increase in brightness it may be visible to the naked eye in parts of the northern hemisphere in early August.
It might also disintegrate due to the gas cloud, and as it’s the first time the comet has passed through our solar system, there’s no telling what might happen when the comet’s visit brings it inside Mercury’s orbit and it takes a face-full of unfiltered sunshine.
Writing in Sky and Telescope, astronomer Bob King describes the comet’s extreme increase in brightness:
The comet’s approach will bring it inside Mercury’s orbit.
A gas outburst in this case refers to a crack or other sudden leak in a comet’s ice surface, which releases gas previously trapped in pressurized caverns. This gas reflects light and a continuing outburst may either increase the comet’s brightness to visible levels, inevitably sparking fearful YouTube videos and a non-trivial amount of references to Nibiru or it may just disintegrate before we get a chance to see it. Easy come, easy go.
Even if it never reaches brightness visible to the naked eye, you’ll still be able to see it with binoculars, according to Bob King:
The comet Lovejoy as seen from the International Space Station
If you’re interested in trying to observe the comet, there’s more information on how to do so and where in the world the comet will be visible from at Sky and Telescope.
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