Comet Research Group

[Antony]

From Spaceweather.com:

"
A COMET EXPLODES AND SPROUTS 'HORNS':

A comet with horns? Believe it. On July 20th, something on the surface of Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks exploded, increasing its brightness 100-fold. Debris from the outburst looks like this:

​

"Here is a quick view of Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks taken last night between some high clouds," reports Thomas Wildoner of Weatherly, PA. "Just in the last several days, this comet has gone from a star-like appearance to brightening by five magnitudes and now sporting a coma in the shape of two horns."


Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks is famous for exploding. Discovered in 1812 by Pons and discovered again in 1883 by Brooks, the bursty comet visits the inner solar system every 71 years. Since the 19th century at least 7 significant outbursts have been observed, suggesting that it might be a cryovolcanic comet like 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann.

​

The comet is currently beyond the orbit of Mars, but falling toward the sun for a close encounter in April 2024. At that time it is expected to become a naked-eye object at 4th or 5th magnitude. Given its history of outbursts, however, the moment of easy visibility could come sooner.


Amateur astronomers are encouraged to monitor developments. Comet 12P is currently crossing the head of Draco not far from the north celestial pole. With an astronomical magnitude of +11, it is an easy target for mid-sized backyard telescopes. Check out those horns! And submit your photos here."

Found the article on the same comet. And great to know that in Russian version @Pierre book is being mentionedGood job

Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks exploded and grew "horns"


A comet with horns? Yes, it's true. On July 20, stargazers witnessed an amazing event: something exploded on the surface of comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, as a result of which its brightness increased 100 times. The debris formed as a result of the explosion formed a coma in the form of two horns, which further enhances the intrigue of this heavenly spectacle.

Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks has a long history of explosive behavior. It was first discovered in 1812 by Pons, and then rediscovered in 1883 by Brooks. This explosive comet makes its way into the inner Solar System every 71 years, and no less than seven significant flares have been recorded since the 19th century. This nature of the eruptions suggests that the comet may be a cryovolcanic comet similar to Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann.

Currently, comet 12P/Pons-Brooks is beyond the orbit of Mars and is slowly moving towards the Sun. It is expected that its close approach to the Sun will occur in April 2024. It is expected that at this time it will become visible to the naked eye and reach the 4th or 5th magnitude. However, given the history of unpredictable outbreaks, it is possible that it may become visible even earlier.

Amateur astronomers are advised to closely monitor the development of comet 12P/Pons-Brooks. The comet is currently passing through Draco's head, not far from the north celestial pole. Having an astronomical magnitude of +11, it is easily observable in medium yard telescopes. Don't miss the chance to see these distinctive horns and share your photos with us.

Scientists have long been interested in comets and their unusual behavior. In the article "Celestial Intentions: Comets and the Horns of Moses," researchers delve into the intriguing nature of these celestial bodies. Pierre Lescaudron in his book "Changes of the Earth and Man's Connection with the Cosmos" highlights the historical understanding of comets. At the end of the XIX century, Professor Zollner from Leipzig suggested that the self-illumination of comets could be caused by electrical excitation. According to this theory, comets are not just dirty snowballs, but glowing chunks of rock.

This assumption is also confirmed by observations made at the end of the XIX century. An article was published in the journal "English Mechanic and World of Science" dated August 11, 1882, which stated that physicists are increasingly inclined to believe that the self-illumination of comets and the phenomenon of their tails are associated with electrical phenomena. In 1896, an article was also published in the journal Nature, in which it was suggested that the electric repulsion of the Sun may be responsible for the formation of comet tails.

These findings refute the traditional view that comets consist of icy debris. On the contrary, they suggest that comets are luminous rocky objects. Similarly, asteroids may not be glowing chunks of rock, as previously thought. The recent discovery of the asteroid P/2013 P5 with a luminous tail a million miles long has puzzled the scientific community. Official explanations explained this phenomenon by the rapid rotation of the asteroid, as a result of which it emits a large amount of dust. However, this discovery hints at the blurring of the boundaries between comets and asteroids, calling into question our ideas about these celestial objects.

As we continue to explore the mysteries of our universe, events like the explosive ejection of comet 12P/Pons-Brooks serve as a reminder of how much we still have to discover. By studying these celestial phenomena, we gain valuable information about the nature of comets and asteroids, shedding light on their composition and behavior. So keep an eye on the sky and watch the wonders that await us.

Комета 12P/Понса-Брукса взорвалась и отрастила «рога»

Комета с рогами? Да, это правда. 20 июля звездочеты стали свидетелями удивительного события: на поверхности кометы 12P/Pons-Brooks что-то взорвалось, в результате чего ее яркость увеличилась в 100 раз.

earth-chronicles.ru

 

[Antony]

Found the article on the same comet. And great to know that in Russian version @Pierre book is being mentionedGood job

Комета 12P/Понса-Брукса взорвалась и отрастила «рога»

Комета с рогами? Да, это правда. 20 июля звездочеты стали свидетелями удивительного события: на поверхности кометы 12P/Pons-Brooks что-то взорвалось, в результате чего ее яркость увеличилась в 100 раз.

earth-chronicles.ru

My fault, have not seen an initial article on sott before posting.

Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks explodes and sprouts 'horns'

A comet with horns? Believe it. On July 20th, something on the surface of Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks exploded, increasing its brightness 100-fold. Debris from the outburst looks like this: "Here is a quick view of Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks taken last...

www.sott.net

Russian site basically translated sott article and posted without giving a link(. Imo, still useful that people are monitoring and sharing in our segment of the net.

 

[Vulcan59]

Sketches of Comet 12P/Pons Brooks made in January 1884 when it reached a peak brightness of magnitude 3. Then as now the comet underwent several bright outbursts during its apparition. - Henry Cooper Wilson

See Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks in Outburst!

Comet Pons-Brooks suddenly sprang into action overnight, brightening by five magnitudes. Now you can see it in a 4-inch telescope.

skyandtelescope.org

 

[dennis]

Jean-Louis Pons (24 December 1761 – 14 October 1831) was a French astronomer.[1] Despite humble beginnings and being self-taught, he went on to become the greatest visual comet discoverer of all time: between 1801 and 1827 Pons discovered thirty-seven comets, more than any other person in history.
...
Pons was born in Peyre, Hautes-Alpes, to a poor family; he received little formal education. In 1789, he began working for the Marseille Observatory as a caretaker, and gradually gained some experience in assisting the astronomers with observations. He learned to make observations himself, showing a remarkable ability to remember star fields and note changes in them.[1]

In his early astronomical career, the unassuming and trusting Pons was often the target of jokes perpetrated by more experienced astronomers. Franz Xaver von Zach once advised him to look for comets when sunspots were visible, though in doing so Zach may have inadvertently given Pons very good advice.[3]
wiki

 

[dennis]

A Real Shtronomer

The orbital elements for this comet were computed by Michael Philip Candy, who predicted perihelion passage on April 8, 1957. As the comet was already well developed, he predicted that the object would present a prominent display during April in the northern hemisphere. In early December the comet was 2.5 AU from the Sun and 1.7 AU from the Earth. It was in the constellation Pisces until February, when it reached magnitude 7.5–8.[5]

The comet on May 4.97, 1957

During the April perihelion passage, the tail of the comet reached a length of 15° of arc. The appearance of the tail varied, with streamers on April 16 and May 5, and the tail splitting into three beams on April 29. By April 22 the comet also displayed a prominent anomalous tail (or antitail) spanning 5°. This antitail stretched out to span 12° on April 25,[6] reaching its maximal extent. The antitail had disappeared by April 29.[7]

Astronomer Carl Sagan relates an anecdote on page 80 of his 1980 book Cosmos about being on duty in an observatory near Chicago in 1957 when a late-night phone call from an inebriated man asked what was the "fuzzy thing" they were seeing in the sky. Sagan told the man that it was a comet (Arend–Roland). The man asked what a comet was, and Sagan answered that it was "a snowball, one mile wide". After a long pause, the man said, quoting Sagan: "Lemme talk to a real 'shtronomer!".



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comet_Arend–Roland

here he is-

One aspect of the Plasma Discharge Comet Model that was not stressed earlier and one that separates it again from the Dirty Snowball Comet Model, is the characteristic “sunward spike”. First observed by modern astronomers with Comet Arend-Roland in 1957, the astronomers as usual found an explanation that seemed to fit their dirty snowball theory. According to their explanation, this only “appeared” to be a sunward spike and was “actually an optical illusion of a anti-sunward Type II tail”. To the layman this means that what they were saying was that they hypothesized this Type II tail (a thin secondary tail sometimes observed in comets that points away from the Sun) to be slightly visible to the side of the main wide (Type I) tail and thus really was not a sunward spike. Comet Arend- Roland and the issue of spiked comets is discussed at length in the papers found in the Appendices of this book.

https://www.jmccanneyscience.com/Planet X Comets and Earth Changes eBook040713.pdf

 

[Puma]

NEW COMET ALERT: A hyperbolic comet is falling into our solar system. Japanese amateur astronomer Hideo Nishimura discovered it just a few days ago in the constellation Gemini. Although it is relatively dim right now (magnitude +9), Comet Nishimura (C/2023 P1) could soon brighten more than 100-fold to become a naked-eye object in mid-September.

Above: A sky map with an inset photo of the comet from Dan Bartlett of June Lake, CA​

A "hyperbolic comet" is a comet with too much energy to remain trapped inside the solar system. It will visit us only once, with the sun acting as a gravitational slingshot, sending the comet hurtling back into deep space after its flyby. Does that mean Comet Nishimura is an interstellar comet? Not necessarily. It might have come from the Oort Cloud. Indeed, that is more likely.

Because this is Comet Nishimura's first trip to the inner solar system, it is extra unpredictable. On Sept. 18th, the comet will make its closest approach to the sun deep inside the orbit of Mercury. Anything could happen when intense sunlight touches the comet's pristine surface for the first time. Possibilities range from dramatic brightening to a disappointing fizzle. Standard models suggest a peak brightness of 3rd magnitude. This would make it visible to the naked eye from rural areas.

Monitoring is encouraged. Comet Nishimura can be found in the pre-dawn sky using backyard telescopes larger than 6 inches. A date of particular interest is Aug. 25th when the comet lines up with Gemini's brightest stars, Castor and Pollux, making it particularly easy to find. Sky maps: Aug. 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25. Ephemeris: from JPL.

Spaceweather.com Time Machine

 

[Puma]

COMET NISHIMURA AND THE ESKIMO NEBULA: Hyperbolic Comet Nishimura continues to fall into the solar system. On Aug. 19th it passed by the Eskimo Nebula. Bill Williams captured the conjunction just above the roof of his house in Florida's Chiefland Astro Village:

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"I read about newly-discovered Comet Nishimura (C/2023 P1) on Spaceweather.com, so I decided to take the challenge of capturing it--although my observatory roof slides east and usually blocks low altitude pre-dawn objects," says Williams. "However, I was thrilled when not only did Comet Nishimura show up but also the Eskimo Nebula just 18 arc minutes away!!"

"Astronomical twilight was already underway when I started observing, so to accelerate the capture I took 2-minute LRGB images (binned 3x3)," he continues. "I do not know what percentage of my telescope actually captured photons from the comet, but we got a nice view of the roof gable, too. A thin ion tail also showed up! You don't know unless you try!"

Comet Nishimura is visiting the inner solar system for the first and last time. When it passes by the sun inside the orbit of Mercury on Sept. 18th, the sun's gravity will slingshot it back into deep space. It is expected to become a naked eye object (3rd magnitude) in mid-September. Take a look! Sky maps: Aug. 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25. Ephemeris: from JPL.

more images: from Robert Forrest of Market Harborough, UK; from Graziano Ventre of Bellagio Via Lattea, Italy; from Johnny Barton of Robinson, TX

Spaceweather.com Time Machine

 

[Puma]

HYPERBOLIC COMET UPDATE: Comet Nishimura (C/2023 P1) is falling toward the sun for a close encounter on Sept. 13th. Currently, it is just outside the orbit of Venus, and accelerating toward Mercury's orbit. Austrian astronomer Michael Jaeger photographed the hyperbolic comet on Aug. 24th and found that it has grown a 1-degree-long tail:

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Since it was discovered in mid-August, Comet Nishimura has more than tripled in brightness--a sign that it is feeling the heat of the approaching sun. Its green head now shines like an 8th magnitude star. Friday morning, Aug. 25th, is a good time to observe it. Drawing a line through the brightest stars of Gemini (Castor and Pollux) leads directly to the comet in the morning predawn sky: finder chart.

Spaceweather.com Time Machine

Slingshot around the Sun​

Another intriguing aspect of this comet’s journey is its impending “slingshot” around the Sun – a dramatic maneuver orchestrated by our star’s immense gravitational pull. This will send the comet hurtling back into the darkness of space, away from our sight.

However, this close proximity to the Sun, especially within the orbit of Mercury, presents a precarious situation. There’s a possibility that the comet’s nucleus, a solid core made of rock, dust, and frozen gases, might disintegrate.

“The comet will get so close to the Sun — inside the orbit of planet Mercury — that its nucleus may break up,” said NASA.

Comet Nishimura is currently moving in front of the constellation Gemini the Twins, low in the dawn sky. The media outlet says the comet was hiding in the Sun’s glare before it was captured in images.

Comet Nishimura’s optimal visibility​

EarthSky recommends that enthusiasts use a small telescope for observing comet Nishimura in the remaining days of August, considering the inherent risks associated with its solar proximity.

The comet’s angular proximity to the Sun also means optimal visibility would be around sunset or sunrise, capturing the right reflection of sunlight.

Interstellar objects​

Interstellar objects offer an intriguing look into far-off solar systems. They present an opportunity to study celestial bodies untouched by our Sun’s influence.

To date, only three interstellar objects have been identified. This includes a meteor that struck Earth in 2014, only to be confirmed as interstellar by the US Space Command eight years later. This was followed by Oumuamua in 2017 and Comet Borisov in 2019.

Interestingly, while Oumuamua was first labeled a comet, it was later reclassified as an asteroid due to its absence of a coma. On the other hand, 2I/Borisov holds the distinction of being one of the most “pristine comets” ever observed, as announced by scientists in 2021.

For now, the mystery of Comet Nishimura’s true origins persists. Further orbital calculations may shed more light on its journey. If confirmed as being interstellar, it would solidify its place in the history of astronomy.

Comet Nishimura will approach Earth so closely that it should be visible to the naked eye

At a speed of 240,000 miles per hour, comet Nishimura is predicted to approach Earth as close as 78 million miles on September 12th.

www.earth.com

 

[Puma]

A WEIRD COMET JUST BUZZED THE SUN: Citizen scientists watching SOHO's coronagraph feed on Aug. 21st weren't sure what they had just seen. A point-like object emerged from the glare of the sun, quickly reversed course, then headed back from where it came. Time to call a Congressional hearing? See for yourself:

​

In fact, this was no UFO. It is a weird comet named "322P." Every 3.9 years it buzzes the sun, making such a tight turn inside the orbit of Mercury that it looks like something is breaking the laws of physics. The fact that the comet has no tail, not even when it is being blasted by maximum solar heat, adds to its vibe of mystery.

"This is a very interesting object," says Karl Battams of the US Naval Research Lab's Solar and Heliospheric Physics Branch. "We are actively studying it, trying to learn what it is."

Comet 322P has been discovered in SOHO coronagraph images at least three times before: 1999, 2003 and 2007. Eventually astronomers realized all three were the same object. Over the years, SOHO has found more than 4500 comets diving into the sun and disintegrating. This was SOHO's first discovery of a *periodic* comet that routinely survives its close encounters.

In 2015, a team of astronomers led by Matthew Knight tracked the comet as it receded from the sun using the Very Large Telescope in Chile and NASA's infrared Spitzer Space Telescope. They were looking for signs of a tail or other outgassing typical of comets. However, 322P remained pointlike and inscrutable:

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"322P appeared inactive in all images," they wrote. "Our results suggest that it may be of asteroidal origin and only active in the SOHO fields of view via processes different from the volatile-driven activity of traditional comets."

According to their data, 322P is a dense object (1000 kg/m^3), measuring 150 to 320 meters in diameter, which spins every 2.8 hours. Its incredibly tough, losing no detectable mass when it approaches the sun. The researchers speculate that it may be an extinct comet, so thoroughly sun-baked that only an impervious skeleton of rock and metal remains.

"We still have lots to learn about the small bodies in our solar system," says Battams. "322P is a fabulous example of one such quirky object."

Spaceweather.com Time Machine

322P reminds me of the strange object that was observed in the LASCO satellites and that the Cs told us it was a UFO.

Q: (Puma) On December 20, 2022, scientist Zesheng Yang reported an unusual object in the LASCO C2 and C3 fields of view and he reported it because he knew that this was something different, not a comet. In the image, on the east side, we can see an object that seems to go directly towards the sun as if it were a sundiving comet, however, a second later it describes a curve moving away. (Thread: Sol (Sun) and its phenomena, post #551) SOHO stated that this object was actually a speck of dust from a micrometeorite near the spacecraft/satellite. Is SOHO correct?

A: No

Q: (Puma) If not, what was that object?

(Joe) A weather balloon. [Laughter]

A: UFO.

We have very busy space. Can you see the objects in the following videos?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1694893889608389054

https://twitter.com/x/status/1694523968584048991

https://twitter.com/x/status/1694465603518488816

 

[Ketone Cop]

I just read this about comet Nishimura: A mysterious green comet is approaching Earth and could be visible to the naked eye soon. Here's how to see it.

But as the video stream begins, there's this picture - of meteors heading towards Earth:



So this begs the question: do they know something about this comet (cluster???) that we don't?? I just thought it bizarre that there'd be this picture of meteors heading towards Earth in the same article talking about a comet that's supposed to miss us with plenty of room to spare. Maybe it's just more fear porn, but the timing seems interesting to me.

 

[Puma]

THE SUN JUST RIPPED OFF A COMET'S TAIL: Comet Nishimura (C/2023 P1) is getting close to the sun--and it shows. On Sept. 2nd, a solar storm hit the comet at point blank range and ripped off its tail. Astrophotographer Michael Jaeger recorded the event from AZM Martinsberg, Austria:

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Researchers call this a "disconnection event." It's caused by a CME hitting the comet. One of the earliest recorded examples of this phenomenon occured in April 2007 when NASA’s STEREO-A spacecraft watched a CME strike Comet Encke and rip its tail completely off: movie.

Comet Nishimura is plunging toward the sun for a 0.22 AU close encounter on Sept. 17th. Right now, it is about halfway between the orbits of Mercury and Venus (0.48 AU) where CMEs are denser and stronger than they are when they reach Earth at 1.0 AU.

The CME that hit Comet Nishimura probably came from active sunspot AR3413, which is almost directly facing the comet. This CME, in particular, had the right timing and direction to cause the disconnection event Jaeger observed:

​

Nishimura's tail has since grown back--but it might not last for long. More CMEs are heading its way. SOHO recorded at least two moving in the right general direction on Sept. 5th. Experienced amateur astronomers who photograph Comet Nishimura in the early morning sky (observing tips, sky map) may be able to record their impact. Got a picture? Submit it here.

Spaceweather.com Time Machine

This is interesting, during its transit through the solar disk AR3413 only registered minor C-class flares, it was not until September 1, when it was about to leave the solar disk, that it started to generate moderate M-class flares, being an M6 the strongest one, and it happened on September 3. It is quite possible that comet Nishimura will begin to act electrically with the Sun.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1697910784033010046

 

[Puma]

THE STORM-BATTERED TAIL OF COMET NISHIMURA: At least two CMEs have hit Comet Nishimura (C/2023 P1) in the past few days. The solar storms are having a destructive effect on the comet's tail. Eliot Herman photographed the damage from Tucson, Arizona:

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"This image is a highly stretched gray and inverted version of a photo I captured on Sept. 6th," says Herman. "It shows the impact of solar activity on the tail of the comet."

The breaks Herman observed are the result of multiple CME impacts. Each one causes magnetic reconnection inside the comet's tail--a phenomenon researchers call a "disconnection event." They are literally ripping the comet's tail apart.

Comet Nishimura is plunging toward the sun for a close encounter inside the orbit of Mercury on Sept. 17th. At such close range it cannot avoid solar storms. Amateur astronomers who photograph Comet Nishimura in the days ahead are likely to capture more of these events. The comet is currently shining like a 5th magnitude star, which makes it an easy target for mid-sized backyard telescopes. Submit your pictures here.

Spaceweather.com Time Machine

BRIGHT COMET AT DAWN: Set your alarm for dawn. There is a bright comet in the morning sky. Alan Dyer reports from Gleichen, Alberta: "Here is Comet Nishimura (C/2023 P1) captured at dawn on September 7, 2023 with the sky beginning to brighten with morning twilight colours."

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"The comet was set amid the stars of the Sickle astersism in Leo, rising in the east just ahead of the sun," says Dyer. "It sports a faint blue ion tail, about 3° long, with the comet seemingly pointed toward the sunrise point."

Comet Nishimura is plunging toward the sun for a close encounter inside the orbit of Mercury on Sept. 17th. Increasing heat is causing the comet to brighten rapidly. Currently shining like a 5th magnitude star, it is barely visible to the unaided eye, but an easy target for digital cameras. Got a picture? Submit it here.

Spaceweather.com Time Machine

 

[Cosmos]

I just read this about comet Nishimura: A mysterious green comet is approaching Earth and could be visible to the naked eye soon. Here's how to see it.

But as the video stream begins, there's this picture - of meteors heading towards Earth:

View attachment 80509

So this begs the question: do they know something about this comet (cluster???) that we don't?? I just thought it bizarre that there'd be this picture of meteors heading towards Earth in the same article talking about a comet that's supposed to miss us with plenty of room to spare. Maybe it's just more fear porn, but the timing seems interesting to me.

I think it is more likely that the editor needed a picture for the article, searched for it on the internet and then used it. By the way, it is a pretty famous/common picture that is often used in comet/meteor articles.

 

[Antony]

Meteors May Masquerade as Lightning in the Atmosphere of Venus

Lightning in the atmosphere of Venus is either ubiquitous, rare, or non-existent, depending on how one interprets diverse observations. Quantifying when and where, or even if lightning occurs, would provide novel information about Venus' atmospheric dynamics and chemistry. Lightning is also a potential risk to future missions, which could float in the cloud layers (∼50–70 km above the surface) for up to an Earth-year. Over decades, spacecraft and ground-based telescopes have searched for lightning at Venus using many instruments, including magnetometers, radios, and optical cameras. Two optical surveys (from the Akatsuki orbiter and the 61-inch telescope on Mt. Bigelow, Arizona) observed several flashes at 777 nm (the unresolved triplet emission lines of excited atomic oxygen) that have been attributed to lightning. This conclusion is based, in part, on the statistical unlikelihood of so many meteors producing such energetic flashes, based in turn on the presumption that a low fraction (<1%) of a meteor's optical energy is emitted at 777 nm. We use observations of terrestrial meteors and analogue experiments to show that a much higher conversion factor (∼5%–10%) should be expected. Therefore, we calculate that smaller, more numerous meteoroids could have caused the observed flashes. Lightning is likely too rare to pose a hazard to missions that pass through or dwell in the clouds of Venus. Likewise, small meteoroids burn up at altitudes of ∼100 km, roughly twice as high above the surface as the clouds, and also would not pose a hazard.

https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2023JE007914

 

[Puma]

COMET NISHIMURA IS NEARING THE SUN: Sundiving Comet Nishimura (C/2023 P1) is now deep inside the orbit of Mercury. This morning, when Mike Olason of Tucson, Arizona, tried to photograph the comet, he could barely see it through the glare:

​

"The comet appeared above the Catalina Mountains on Sept. 11th at 1220UT (520AM) in bright orange twilight skies," says Olason. "The comet's tail was not visible. The comet may not be visible at all tomorrow morning as it rises above the Catalina Mountains 15 minutes later at 535AM in very bright twilight."

Comet Nishimura will make a 0.22 AU close approach to the sun on Sept. 17th. At that time it will experience maximum solar heat, both evaporating and brightening furiously as it executes a hairpin turn around the sun. What will emerge from the glare next week? Stay tuned

Spaceweather.com Time Machine

COMET NISHIMURA VS. THE SUN: Comet Nishimura (C/2023 P1) has just crossed the orbit of Mercury en route to the sun. This is making the comet hard to photograph in the morning sky as it is increasingly surrounded by the glare of dawn. Nevertheless, Georg Klingersberger did it this morning in Austria:

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"This beautiful, energetic comet was a joy to see at dawn!" says Klingersberger. "It was a moving experience."

Currently, the comet is shining like a 4th magnitude star. If it were in the midnight sky, it would be easy to see with the unaided eye. Only the proximity of the rising sun challenges its visibility.

Every day for the next week Comet Nishimura will inch closer to the sun, culminating in a 0.22 AU close encounter on Sept. 17th. Point-blank solar heating witll further boost the comet's brightness while solar storms buffet the comet's tail, producing interesting structures and even outright breaks. Continued photography is encouraged.

Resources: observing tips, sky map, light curve, 3D orbit.

Spaceweather.com Time Machine