from the Wirtanen-and-the-Comets-doesn't-quite-sound-the-same dept.
Hyperactive Comet Wirtanen to Show off During Historically Close Flyby:
The comet 46P/Wirtanen was discovered in 1948, but this could be the best year to get a good look at the small, hyperactive space ball of rock, ice and debris.
That's because when the comet passes nearest to Earth on Dec. 16 at a distance of 7.1 million miles (11.5 million kilometers), it'll be the 10th closest encounter with our planet since 1950. And it could be the brightest of the entire top 10.
It should become visible with the naked eye in the night sky as it approaches and could remain that way for weeks, according to the University of Maryland's astronomy department, which is leading an observation campaign of the comet.
[...] Astronomers are already busy tracking and observing Wirtanen, but expect it to become the subject of some excitement and numerous star parties as it becomes visible to the rest of us in December.
At closest approach, it would still be at 30 times the Earth-Moon distance; no risk of impact with the Earth. This time around, at least.
(Score: 3, Funny) by MichaelDavidCrawford on Tuesday October 16 2018, @05:36PM (2 children)
You say that like it's a bad thing.
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(Score: 2) by bob_super on Tuesday October 16 2018, @05:46PM (1 child)
At about 1.2km diameter, it could help finish the job started by the two hurricanes.
Then again, risking impact would make the absurd "space force" an actual election topic.
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday October 16 2018, @06:02PM
Hmm... 1.2km diameter...
Chicxulub crater [wikipedia.org]:
Looks to me like 46P/Wirtanen's about an order of magnitude too small. :-(
Though probably the super unfortunate thing is that humans would figure out how to survive an impact from a 10-15km body. :-(
(Score: 5, Interesting) by fyngyrz on Tuesday October 16 2018, @06:04PM (2 children)
Most comets are difficult to capture with a camera; for instance, when I acquired this image [flickr.com], it took a stack of 107 frames to drag out the detail of both the dust and ion tails. It reached magnitude two, but I wasn't able to catch it when it was that bright because of cloud cover here.
It would be awesome if this one hits mag three and has a decent tail... and the moon isn't glaring and the clouds don't interfere, lol
(Score: 2, Informative) by nitehawk214 on Tuesday October 16 2018, @08:11PM (1 child)
That is a pretty good capture, though. Comets are "planetary", as far as imaging goes. You always have to do lots of frames to get a good image. I have been looking for an excuse to buy a new planetary camera, this might just be it.
I feel you on clouds though, I missed the one that was bright a couple months ago due to constant crappy weather.
JPL's Horizons [nasa.gov] says 46P will be going through Cetus, Eridanus, Taurus, and Perseus in December. Should be a good show for northern hemisphere people.
"Don't you ever miss the days when you used to be nostalgic?" -Loiosh
(Score: 2) by fyngyrz on Wednesday October 17 2018, @11:53PM
Yep... and I'm in northern Montana, so hopefully... :)
(Score: 2) by suburbanitemediocrity on Tuesday October 16 2018, @06:38PM (1 child)
" 10th closest"
?
(Score: 2) by takyon on Tuesday October 16 2018, @08:33PM
Historically bright?
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(Score: 2) by hendrikboom on Wednesday October 17 2018, @12:35AM
Are there any students of ancient Assyrian astrology to interpret this for us?
(Score: 2) by KritonK on Wednesday October 17 2018, @07:56AM
Can I safely assume that I needn't bother to look up in the sky to search for the comet, if I live in a big city, where it's been decades since I last saw any stars?
(Score: 4, Informative) by aim on Wednesday October 17 2018, @11:15AM (1 child)
For those as curious as I am... the comet is currently in Fornax, will be moving towards Eridanus, Cetus, Taurus.
It will be next to the Pleiades on Dec. 16th.
On Dec 19th, it will have moved between Auriga and Perseus, be next to Auriga's main star Capella on Dec 23.
It will then move on towards Ursa Major.
Weather permitting, I'll probably try taking a few pictures - widefields with the Pleiades or off the California nebula
might be nice.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Wednesday October 17 2018, @07:08PM
I would love to see it next to the Pleiades.
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