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Brighter than a full moon... The comet of the century

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"At the moment it is a faint object, visible only in sophisticated telescopes as a point of light moving slowly against the background stars. It doesn't seem much – a frozen chunk of rock and ice – one of many moving in the depths of space. But this one is being tracked with eager anticipation by astronomers from around the world, and in a year everyone could know its name.

Comet Ison could draw millions out into the dark to witness what could be the brightest comet seen in many generations – brighter even than the full Moon."

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http://www.independe...ry-8431443.html

Edited by jwerta
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I predict it will be the end of the world...lol

this will happen, of course by the earth traveling through the comets tail...no shit

Edited by waterboy
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I can see the mayan timekeeper scratching his head "Ooops, forgot to carry the 1 - you have one more year folks"

Did the world end by the way? I was a bit inebriated at the time and might have missed it...

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Won't this comet just hit the sun?

What would that do?

It said on that first website that it could come as close as 1 degree away from the sun. Could the sun just absorb it or would it cause some (serious?) damage.

They did classify it as a 'Sun-skimmer'

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In the wiki article they called it a Sun Grazer... yum yum sun sun, gobble gobble... (lets hope not)

It's a pretty interesting one because we'll pass though it's orbit once it has passed, so we might see a meteor shower.

Comets are great - One of my fondest memories was a sleep over at my primary school in '86 to watch Halley's comet - I held hands with the girl I had a crush on for 2 hours! :wub:

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if it's as good as or better than 2007 McNaught, this will be wickid!!!!

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Indiandreaming:

Hehe that just gave me the biggest smile i can imagine how stoked you'd be :)/>

I dont think i've seen any comets, a few shooting stars and various other glowing flying objects as a kid.. Who knows what they were though lol.

I'm kinda looking forward to this comet but gee its enough to make u wonder how long we will last.

Edit: comet not coment lol

Edited by bogfrog
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One of my fondest memories was a sleep over at my primary school in '86 to watch Halley's comet - I held hands with the girl I had a crush on for 2 hours! :wub:/>

Awww. That's so cute. :)

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I've never seen a comet, this is so exciting!!

I wonder with whom i will share this precious moment XD..... Any volunteers?

What do you say jwerta? Im in w.a, you are in w.a....

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Comets are great - One of my fondest memories was a sleep over at my primary school in '86 to watch Halley's comet - I held hands with the girl I had a crush on for 2 hours! :wub:

 

Fond memories for me too. Must of been some love dust floating down from the tail of Halley's comet... My primary school camp was at the base of mt Bogong when the comet was at it's best. The teachers had organized the camp around hiking to the top and viewing the comet through a big a55 telescope that got carried up on the hike up. I got partnered up with the cute newish kept to herself girl at school for the hike and turn on the telescope. After we had our turn she planted a big one on me and didn't stop until the teacher dragged her off much to my dismay and the cheers from my mates. We decided that night to be boyfriend and girlfriend. Sadly the next day someone pointed out she had one brown eye and one green eye - relationship over. Just a little boy and already an asshole.

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I've never seen a comet, this is so exciting!!

I wonder with whom i will share this precious moment XD..... Any volunteers?

What do you say jwerta? Im in w.a, you are in w.a....

 

Wow..... Sorry but I already have a girl friend

Edited by jwerta
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Lol kuychi,

The comet will be visible with the naked eye for a month or longer.

Plenty of time for special monents ;)

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The price of gold may go up a little in the lead up. Might also fall sharply afterwards.

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Kuychi, I'd offer to hold your hand but my arm prolly won't reach that far...

Halley's - that was a big anticlimax! A tiny little triangle that was outshone by some of the stars near it.

Bogfrog I wouldn't worry about the comet smacking into the sun. Even if the astronomers has cocked up their calculations (which is highly unlikely) it would be like a snowflake landing on a burning house.

But I am excited at the possibility of a light show - I want to see one of those portent-of-doom style comets, complete with sleepless night and general hysterical social mayhem.

Mwah ha ha haaa!

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I might be mistaken, but from what I have read, the comet will not be very visible or spectacular from Australia ( or the southern hemisphere in general )

In the week or two before closest approach to the Sun or perihelion the comet will be visible low in the east before sunrise. It should be getting brighter, but also closer to the horizon each morning. If the comet grows a visible tail, it should be pointing upwards, away from the rising Sun.

After perihelion as the comet moves towards the Earth we will not be able to get much of a look from the southern hemisphere. It will be neither an evening nor a morning object for in the evenings the comet will set before the Sun and in the mornings it will rise with the Sun.

Assuming the comet does not fade away like some comets of the past, for those of us in the southern hemisphere the best chance to see Comet ISON will be from mid to late November 2013 in the mornings before sunrise and in the daytime about the date of perihelion on 29 November 2013.

 

Almost worth a trip up to Greenland or somewhere cool :D

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Kuychi, I'd offer to hold your hand but my arm prolly won't reach that far...

 

aww thanks WoodDragon

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just a reminder, for this sun grazer super comet, but it could turn out a flop as well, like kohoutek...

http://www.heavens-above.com/Comets.aspx?lat=0&lng=0&loc=Unspecified&alt=0&tz=UCT

edit found a better link:

http://observing.skyhound.com/ISON.html

Edited by planthelper
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Comets are neat. Halley's maybe not so much but Hale Bopp made up for it I'm hoping Ison is even brighter and more spectacular than Hale Bopp.

A good friend and myself have the odd 'scope night so I am looking forward to seeing it up close too.

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^^

yeah :(

kinda sucks!

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Didn't even get to see it...

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