I know there is one that can be seen but don't know the name.
2007-01-20 03:25:56 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
That object is comet C/2006 P1 (Comet McNaught). It was discovered on August 7th, 2006 by the hugely successful comet discoverer Rob McNaught.
At time of discovery, the comet was a very faint object, but the predicted perihelion distance (closest distance to the sun) of just 0.17 astronomical units (the average distance between the Earth and sun, about 150 million kilometers) indicated that the object has the potential to become very bright indeed.
Nobody really knows just what this comet will look like at its closest point to the sun and that is where SOHO comes in! The LASCO instrument aboard SOHO has the ability to watch comets as they get extremely close to the sun.
Recent estimates of the comet’s maximal brightness have ranged widely from magnitude +2.1 (about as bright as Polaris, the North Star) to a super-bright -8.8 (about 40 times brighter than Venus)! The lower the magnitude number, the brighter the object. The brightest stars in the sky are categorized as zero or first magnitude. Negative magnitudes are reserved for the most brilliant objects: the brightest star is Sirius (-1.4); the full Moon is -12.7; the Sun is -26.7.
Current estimates put comet McNaught at magnitude 0 to -1, and it is still brightening. It could be -2 or -3 by the time it reaches LASCO’s field of view. This means it will be brighter than comet NEAT or comet 96P/Machholz. In other words, this could be the brightest and most spectacular comet .
2007-01-20 04:01:15 · answer #1 · answered by rajeev_iit2 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Comet McNaught, but now only visible in the Southern Hemisphere.
Great pics on this link though... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comet_McNaught
2007-01-22 12:32:37 · answer #2 · answered by Whoosher 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Comet McNaught. I saw on the 12th at dusk but has passed from viewing here in So. Cal. I think you can still see it at dust from the southern hemisphere.
2007-01-20 11:30:32 · answer #3 · answered by RUDOLPH M 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is comet Mcnaught. it is the brightest comet visible from rearth.
2007-01-20 11:54:07 · answer #4 · answered by supratim dey 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Comet McNaught ...
2007-01-21 06:23:47 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Halley's comet, also referred to as Comet Halley after Edmond Halley. It is a comet that can be seen every 75-76 years. It is the most famous of all periodic comets.
2007-01-20 11:36:26 · answer #6 · answered by markos m 6 · 0⤊ 4⤋
it is the McNaught comet.
http://skytonight.com/observing/home/5089276.html
2007-01-20 11:32:05 · answer #7 · answered by wolschou 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i dunno
2007-01-20 11:28:18 · answer #8 · answered by dani 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋