Comet C/2011 L4 Pan-Starrs: "Once in a lifetime" Says BBC

[panca kanga]

There is a silly bit of news management here: _http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-21701641. A item from Auntie Beeb about the flypast of comet Pan-starrs.

(BTW. I added the blue highlighting of course.)

Once in a lifetime

The comet was first discovered in June 2011, spotted by the Pan-Starrs telescope (hence its name) in Hawaii as a faint object more than a billion kilometres away.

Astronomers believe it originated in the Oort Cloud, a region of space packed full of comets, and has been hurtling towards the Sun for millions of years.

It is thought to be a non-periodic comet, which means this could be the first time it has ever passed through the inner Solar System, and it might not return for another 100,000 years.
On 10 March, it will make its closest approach to the Sun, passing at a distance of about 45 million kilometres.

So that is all right isn't it? A "Once in a lifetime" chance to see a comet but quite safe "45 million kilometres" away. I hope I don't miss it because it is so cloudy in England.... But no! There is another one coming soon after:

Astronomers could be offered another chance for a celestial delight at the end of the year when comet Ison (C/20121 S1)should grace our skies.

Flying four times closer to the Sun than Pan-starrs, it could prove even brighter. But there is also a chance that it could break up.

Perhaps the copywriter meant a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see two comets in the same year? Yes, that must be what they meant :).

 

[irjO]

Perhaps the copywriter meant a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see two comets in the same year? Yes, that must be what they meant .

This is gonna get so common..

 

[curious_richard]

(Caution: sarcasm)
As often as these are happening...
...
I am glad that they only happen "once in a lifetime"!