Comet and Asteroids

[JEEP]

New Comet Visible in Early Morning Sky

SPACE.com — New Comet Visible in Early Morning Sky.

A recently discovered comet is surprising skywatchers by becoming brighter than predictions had first suggested and can now be seen with the unaided eye during the next few weeks.

Comet McNaught, officially catalogued as C/2009 R1, was discovered by Australian astronomer Robert McNaught last September using the using the 0.5-meter Uppsala Schmidt telescope and a CCD camera. It’s the 51st comet that bears McNaught’s name.

Although initially an extremely faint object, enough observations of the newfound comet were made to allow Brian Marsden of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge, Mass., to calculate an orbit.

Comet McNaught is expected to pass closest to the sun (perihelion) on July 2, at a distance of 37 million miles (60 million km). This sky map shows where to look in order to spot the comet in the morning sky.

The comet is visible now for people with dark skies away from urban and suburban lighting. By mid-June it may be an easy skywatching target for most people.

Comets brighten when the get nearer to the sun, because solar radiation boils icy particles and dust off the comet’s nucleus. A cloud of material called a head, or coma, and sometimes a tail form. It’s all illuminated by reflected sunlight.

This recently discovered comet, McNaught C/2009 R1, should not be confused with another dazzling comet to bear McNaught’s name – C/2006 P1 McNaught – which also put on a show for skywatchers in 2007 that was so stunning, it earned the moniker “Great Comet of 2007.” [Great Comet McNaught photos.]

Comet brightens rapidly

As comet McNaught approached the sun, amateur and professional astronomers worldwide watched with interest as it slowly increased in brightness.

When April began, the comet was estimated at magnitude +12. That’s still about 250 times dimmer than the faintest star that one might see without any optical aid. But the comet started brightening more rapidly in the days and weeks that followed and it’s now bright enough to be glimpsed with the naked eye in a dark clear sky.

The most recent “reliable” observation was made by Alexandre Amorim of Florianopolis, Brazil who saw the comet on June 6 using 10×50 binoculars and estimated the magnitude as +5.5. That’s about as bright as the faintest star in the bowl of the Little Dipper (on this scale, smaller numbers represent brighter objects).

In the coming days, the comet is expected to continue to brighten as it gets closer to the sun.

When and where to see it

If you want to get a view of the comet, you’ll have to get up early in the morning. Set your alarm clock for at least two hours before sunrise. For most people that will mean around 3:30 a.m. local time. The comet is currently moving through the constellation of Perseus, the Hero, which at that early hour will be low in the northeast part of the sky.

The comet will pass to the south of the second magnitude star, Mirfak around June 14. Both star and comet will be about 20-degrees above the northeast horizon (10-degrees is roughly equal to the width of your clenched fist held at arm’s length; so the comet will be about “two fists” up from the horizon).

Don’t expect anything spectacular just yet, however.

The comet should appear as a dim and diffuse, circular patch of light. Binoculars or a small telescope will help to bring it out better; you might even make out a faint greenish color.

From the head of the comet, a narrow tail of gas extends. John Bortle, a well known comet observer, likens McNaught’s appearance as resembling an “apple on a stick.”

“From the few rough magnitude estimates I have seen posted, it would appear that the comet is perhaps a magnitude brighter than had been anticipated, but whether this trend will continue is, as usual, anybody’s guess,” Bortle said.

Getting Lower … and Harder to See

After June 15, Comet McNaught will rapidly slide lower toward the north-northeast horizon, passing very close to the brilliant star Capella in the constellation Auriga around June 22 and a few mornings later very near to the second magnitude star Menkalinan.

By then, McNaught will be visible – albeit with some difficulty – both in the evening sky for a short while just after sunset very low above the north-northwest horizon and in the morning sky just before sunrise very low above the north-northeast horizon.

Comets are very unpredictable, but some astronomers say Comet McNaught might reach magnitude +2 by the end of June. If so, it won’t rival the brightest stars in the sky, but it should be easy to spot and readily identifiable as a comet.

 

[Mal7]

The asteroid was discovered as an unusually fuzzy-looking object with the Pan-STARRS survey telescope in Hawaii. The multiple tails were discovered in Hubble images taken on Sept. 10, 2013.
When Hubble returned to the asteroid on Sept. 23, its appearance had totally changed. It looked as if the entire structure had swung around. "We were completely knocked out," Jewitt said.

- _http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2013/52/full/

Hubble researchers say they were "literally dumbfounded" when they took a close-up look at an object that lives in the asteroid belt but superficially looks like a comet. It has no less than six dust tails that seem to be forming sequentially. The entire structure rotates like a bicycle wheel with spokes on one side.

- _http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2013/52/

 

[Pierrrr]

Several simultaneous discharge paths/currents.
Formed through objects/planets inside the heliosphere/solar capacitor.

 

[psychegram]

Several simultaneous discharge paths/currents.
Formed through objects/planets inside the heliosphere/solar capacitor.

That doesn't explain why this asteroid, and no others.

 

[Pierrrr]

Several simultaneous discharge paths/currents.
Formed through objects/planets inside the heliosphere/solar capacitor.

That doesn't explain why this asteroid, and no others.

It has to have something in common with:
Why we see the moon and the sun in the sky together, some times and ( mostly ) no other ( times ).
Hint: Earth has something in common with a commet.

 

[Deleted member 8431]

Several simultaneous discharge paths/currents.
Formed through objects/planets inside the heliosphere/solar capacitor.

That doesn't explain why this asteroid, and no others.

It has to have something in common with:
Why we see the moon and the sun in the sky together, some times and ( mostly ) no other ( times ).
Hint: Earth has something in common with a commet.

Hi Pierrrr,

It would be externally considerate to explain what you have in mind rather that being so cryptic. One objective of this forum is to expand knowledge by sharing relevant information - not withholding it and try to make other people guess with cryptic one-liners.

Thanks.

 

[Palinurus]

This news has been carried on SotT as well:
http://www.sott.net/article/268453-NASAs-Hubble-sees-asteroid-spouting-six-comet-like-tails-dust-radiating-from-it-like-spokes-on-a-wheel

The HubbleSite carries a much larger picture here: http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2013/52/image/e/format/web_print/

It's difficult to grasp the mechanics of this phenomenon, unless it's not a single body but several.

Would it still turn out to be a single body, then I presume it would have to be considerably larger than an average run of the mill asteroid and also oddly shaped. OSIT.

 

[Pierrrr]

Several simultaneous discharge paths/currents.
Formed through objects/planets inside the heliosphere/solar capacitor.

That doesn't explain why this asteroid, and no others.

It has to have something in common with:
Why we see the moon and the sun in the sky together, some times and ( mostly ) no other ( times ).
Hint: Earth has something in common with a commet.

Hi Pierrrr,

It would be externally considerate to explain what you have in mind rather that being so cryptic. One objective of this forum is to expand knowledge by sharing relevant information - not withholding it and try to make other people guess with cryptic one-liners.

Thanks.

The electrical currents are always present.
They are also visible under right external conditions.

When moon is "inside" such current, and right conditions, it is shinning and visible even in a bright sunny day.

Right condition would be increased incoming of antiphotons ( proto-electrical current ) that would bring the field closer to balance.
Balanced photon-antiphoton field increases the light through its interaction.
Balance it perfectly and it would reveal the "Eternal flame".

 

[mkrnhr]

What are antiphotons / proto-electrical current ? Any references?.

 

[no-mans-land]

Hi Pierrrr

Maybe you want to read again what JayMark wrote

Hi Pierrrr,

It would be externally considerate to explain what you have in mind rather that being so cryptic. One objective of this forum is to expand knowledge by sharing relevant information - not withholding it and try to make other people guess with cryptic one-liners.

Thanks.

Because:

The electrical currents are always present.
They are also visible under right external conditions.

When moon is "inside" such current, and right conditions, it is shinning and visible even in a bright sunny day.

What do you mean by "inside" and "visible even in a bright sunny day"? I've never saw what resambles a "current" in the sky on a bright sunny day.

Right condition would be increased incoming of antiphotons ( proto-electrical current ) that would bring the field closer to balance.

Also here. Antiphotons in the current understanding in the Quantum-Electrodynamics don't exist. Its like if you say that 0 is its own negative, which is true, but there is no difference. Photons are there own anti particles, therefore, the word doesent make sense. And what is a "proto-electrical current"? This word doesn't exist at all.

Balance it perfectly and it would reveal the "Eternal flame".

Another cryptic remark. Could you please clarify?

 

[Laura]

A couple of years ago there was a report of an asteroid in the asteroid belt behaving like a comet. This seems to be the same phenomenon. Can we find that older article and see if there are any data points that suggest anything?

 

[Palinurus]

I'm not sure this is the one (April 2006) but the other references are much more recent:

http://www.sott.net/article/258701-When-asteroids-become-comets-Both-are-fundamentally-the-same

Other references:

http://www.sott.net/article/266201-Asteroid-3200-Phaethon-behaving-like-a-comet
http://www.universetoday.com/74486/does-a-rock-comet-generate-the-geminids/
Activity in Geminid Parent (3200) Phaethon (PDF file)

http://www.sott.net/article/258700-Rare-asteroid-sporting-tail-spotted
http://www.sott.net/article/262407-Crashed-asteroid-has-a-tail-that-keeps-getting-longer

 

[Laura]

Okay, let's look at what we have:

http://www.universetoday.com/74279/stereo-catches-mercury-acting-like-a-comet/
STEREO also caught Mercury behaving somewhat like a comet 8 Feb 2008 in results released in 2010... a coma of tenuous gas surrounding the planet and a very long tail extending away from the sun

Read more: http://www.universetoday.com/74279/stereo-catches-mercury-acting-like-a-comet/#ixzz2kMIXeAel

I think we can discard their theory that Mercury is outgassing sodium or something.

Question: what else was going on in the solar system/sun that may have been notable at that same time or just prior?

Next:

http://www.universetoday.com/74486/does-a-rock-comet-generate-the-geminids/#ixzz2kMFTtkeL
...on June 20, 2009, shortly after perihelion, 3200 Phaethon brightened by over two magnitudes

Due to the size of 3200 Phaethon, they suggest that a collision is unlikely

One clue to the reason for the sudden change in brightness was a close link of a half of a day to a brightening in the solar corona. Given a typical solar wind speed and the distance of 3200 Phaethon at the time, this would put the Geminid parent just at the right range to be feeling the effects of the increase. However, the authors conclude that this cannot be directly responsible by imparting sufficient energy on the surface of the object to cause it to fluoresce due to an insufficient solar wind flux at that distance.

http://www.sott.net/article/266201-Asteroid-3200-Phaethon-behaving-like-a-comet
images of NASA's twin sun-gazing Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory (STEREO) spacecraft that were taken between 2009 and 2012.

http://www.universetoday.com/82947/first-ever-whole-sun-view-coming-soon-from-stereo/


http://www.sott.net/article/262407-Crashed-asteroid-has-a-tail-that-keeps-getting-longer

A strange comet-like object discovered in 2010 ended up being an asteroid that had been the victim of a head-on collision from another space rock. The object created a bit of buzz because of its mysterious X-shaped debris pattern and long, trailing streamers of dust. Named P/2010 A2 (LINEAR), the object is located in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, ...over time, the asteroid's long dust tail has grown to be so long that the entire object can't fit into the field of view of most observatories. ... "Three and a half years after the initial disruption, and almost a full orbit around the Sun, the tail is still visible and growing," said Rajagopal. "One of the reasons it is so long is that radiation pressure and gravity are stretching out the tail. It will progressively grow and sweep out into the ecliptic." ... the tail of Asteroid P/2010 A2 is a meteor stream in the making. "It will eventually sweep into the Earth's orbit and give us a meteorite stream, sending some meteorites our way, maybe a million years from now."

Can we get a definite date on the one above?

http://www.sott.net/article/258700-Rare-asteroid-sporting-tail-spotted an asteroid dubbed P/2012 F5 that displayed a trail like that of comets. ... may have been caused by internal rupture or collision with another asteroid ... "Our models indicate that [the trail] was caused by an impulsive short-lived event lasting just a few hours around the July 1st, 2011, with an uncertainty of 20 days,"

Any other unusual astronomical or solar activity around 11 July 2011?

 

[Pierrrr]

Hi Pierrrr

Maybe you want to read again what JayMark wrote

Hi Pierrrr,

It would be externally considerate to explain what you have in mind rather that being so cryptic. One objective of this forum is to expand knowledge by sharing relevant information - not withholding it and try to make other people guess with cryptic one-liners.

Thanks.

Understanding is based on prerequisite common knowledge.
Charge field theory is a great revelation.
Miles Mathis has more than 2000 pages full with theory and math.
It is not practical nor possible to include it here.

Because:

The electrical currents are always present.
They are also visible under right external conditions.

When moon is "inside" such current, and right conditions, it is shinning and visible even in a bright sunny day.

What do you mean by "inside" and "visible even in a bright sunny day"? I've never saw what resambles a "current" in the sky on a bright sunny day.

I mean the moon sometimes is visible during the day.
A current filament, connecting the Earth with solar system circuitry, is going through the moon.
My point is that we see the currents, connecting the asteroid, on the photos under discussion.
We still don't have a photo of Earth connecting currents, but they should exist.
The phenomenon of daylight moon is indirect proof of them.

Right condition would be increased incoming of antiphotons ( proto-electrical current ) that would bring the field closer to balance.

Also here. Antiphotons in the current understanding in the Quantum-Electrodynamics don't exist. Its like if you say that 0 is its own negative, which is true, but there is no difference. Photons are there own anti particles, therefore, the word doesent make sense. And what is a "proto-electrical current"? This word doesn't exist at all.

According to charge field theory anti-photons are simply photons with reversed real spin.
Electricity and magnetism are redefined as photon interactions.
Proto electrical current is just linear movement of photons, and antiphotons.
Proto magnetism is the result of photon-antiphoton spin interactions.

Balance it perfectly and it would reveal the "Eternal flame".

Another cryptic remark. Could you please clarify?

Photon antiphoton interaction is the source of the abnormal brightness of all Solar System bodies.
Effect peaks when photon and antiphotons are balanced in the charge field.
Take a look at:
More on Encedalus and Albedo
by Miles Mathis
First published March 10, 2013
_http://milesmathis.com/encel2.pdf


Everything around as is ( modified ) light/photon.
That is logical conclusion not a cryptic remark.

 

[Palinurus]

Today's SotT brings in a new article about this comet/asteroid with several interesting references:

http://www.sott.net/article/268494-The-multi-tailed-main-belt-Comet-P-2013-P5

References:

http://www2.ess.ucla.edu/~jewitt/mbc.html
THE ACTIVE ASTEROIDS by David Jewitt (PDF file)
The Extraordinary Multi-Tailed Main-Belt Comet P/2013 P5

Hubble Space Telescope observations of main-belt comet P/2013 P5 reveal an extraordinary system of six dust tails that distinguish this object from any other. Observations two weeks apart show dramatic morphological change in the tails while providing no evidence for secular fading of the object as a whole. Each tail is associated with a unique ejection date, revealing continued, episodic mass loss from the 0.24+/-0.04 km radius nucleus over the last five months. As an inner-belt asteroid and probable Flora family member, the object is likely to be highly metamorphosed and unlikely to contain ice. The protracted period of dust release appears inconsistent with an impact origin, but may be compatible with a body that is losing mass through a rotational instability. We suggest that P/2013 P5 has been accelerated to breakup speed by radiation torques.

http://remanzacco.blogspot.it/2010/12/comet-like-appearance-of-596-scheila.html (December 2010)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/596_Scheila

http://remanzacco.blogspot.it/2012/10/new-comet-p2012-t1-panstarrs.html (October 2012)