![]() ![]() when it emerges into the pre-dawn sky later this week. "Forecasters say 45P could be on the verge of naked eye visibility. "Proximity makes the comet bright despite its small size," said. To identify native ices, astronomers look for chemical. Much less is known about native ices in this group than in the long-haul comets from the Oort Cloud. It made an even closer approach during its last visit in 2011, pictured above, but it won't be as near to Earth again this century. The cometofficially named 45P/Honda-Mrkos-Pajduákovábelongs to the Jupiter family of comets, frequent orbiters that loop around the Sun about every five to seven years. The Minor Planet Center reports 45P's upcoming pass as the eighth closest comet since modern tracking technologies began around 1950. RELATED: Flyby Comet Was WAY Bigger Than Thought 27 April 2022: Comet 45P/Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusakova makes its closest approach to the Sun. Its distinctive color comes from vaporizing diatomic carbon, a gas which glows green in the near-vacuum of space. "The comet will be racing through the constellation Hercules high in the eastern sky," notes .Ĭomet 45P will look like fuzzy bluish-green ball with a fan-shaped tail. ![]() With binoculars or a small telescope, comet-watchers should be able to spot 45P in the pre-dawn skies between Thursday and Sunday. On Saturday, 45P will pass just 7.4 million miles from Earth, a stone's throw by celestial yardsticks. An unusual green comet reaches maximum brightness on Saturday, providing a sweet treat for early-morning risers.Ĭomet 45P/Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusakova (named after three astronomers who discovered it in 1948) travels into the inner solar system every 5.25 years. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |