A photo from open sources
The heavenly guest is about to cross the orbit of Jupiter. Comet dubbed C / 2012 S1 (ISON), opened amateur astronomers – Artem Novichonok (Russia) and Vitaly Nevsky (Belarus). They spotted her on September 21, conducting observations from observatory in the Kislovodsk area. Late opening confirmed others – already professional astronomers – in several countries. A new comet flies in our direction. She is now in orbit Jupiter. That is, very far from the Sun, but has already acquired tail visible to astronomers. As the core of heaven approaches the guests will warm up even more and glow even brighter. IN As a result, a comet flying up to us can become unprecedentedly bright – flare up 15 times brighter than the moon. It will be visible even in the afternoon in Sevan hemispheres – with the naked eye, naturally. Sky show will last at least two months.
A photo from open sources
This photo of comet ISON was taken on September 24 by E. Guido, G. Sostero and N. Howes.
Photo: E. Guido, G. Sostero and N. Howes
A photo from open sources
A snapshot of comet Novichonk-Nevsky in another light range
Photo: E. Guido, G. Sostero and N. Howes
When asked whether a celestial visitor poses a threat to the Earth, there is no clear answer – so as to completely calm down – yet. But on preliminary – very rough – calculations, it turns out that in at the end of November 2013, the comet will approach the Sun at a distance of 0.012 astronomical units – this is about 2 million kilometers. Very close. A comet will fly past Earth at the end of December 2013 years – in early January 2014. The minimum distance to it will be 0.42 astronomical units – this is almost 62 million kilometers. Less than half the distance from Earth to the Sun, but enough far so as not to fear a collision. True, not all astronomers are sure that comet C / 2012 S1 (ISON) will continue. Not it is possible that on approaching the sun it will collapse. How collapsed last August, Comet Elenin (C / 2010 X1), discovered Leonid Elenin in 2010. – For now, we can only guess how events will develop, said Karl Battams (Karl Battams) – representative of the Sungrazer Comet Project supported by NASA And comet researcher John Bortle noticed that the trajectory of the new comet exactly coincides with the trajectory of flight the so-called Great Comet of 1680. He suggests that the new the comet and the old were once one – the comet of cyclopean sizes. Here is how the annals mention it: “… December at 11 day appeared in heaven a pillar of cloudy light in the west of the star and stood on the month of February … “” … December 7189 at 14:00 at 1 o’clock the pillar was large to the west of the star, wide to the top and tall, bright like a ray, the image of daylight, and she walked. a star with the radiance of Henry until the 31st, and went after the Sun … ” Vladimir Lagovsky
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