Robby
12-31-2007, 08:04 AM
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0712/holmespan_nanz.jpg (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0712/holmespan_nanz_big.jpg)
A Year of Spectacular Comets
Credit & Copyright: Bob Nanz ( bob at nanzscience.com) (San Diego Astronomy Association (http://aisig.sdaa.org/))
Explanation: Two spectacular comets graced Earth's skies during 2007. Both comets became bright enough to be seen by (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap070205.html) the unaided eye of the casual sky enthusiast (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap040808.html). Early in 2007, Comet McNaught (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap070122.html) grew brighter than any comet in 40 years, displaying a beautiful dust tail (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search?comet+McNaught) that flowed across the sky. Comet McNaught (http://www.spaceweather.com/comets/gallery_mcnaught.php) (c/2006 P1) became known as the Great Comet of 2007 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Comet_of_2007), sported unusual striations (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap070201.html) in its expansive dust tail (http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/~jewitt/tail.html), and showed unexpectedly complex chemistry (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap070504.html) in its ion tail (http://www.astrobio.net/news/article2483.html). Toward the year's end, normally docile and faint Comet Holmes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comet_Holmes) brightened suddenly and unexpectedly to naked eye visibility. Remarkably, Comet 17P/Holmes (http://cometography.com/pcomets/017p.html) stayed bright for weeks even though it (http://www.spaceweather.com/comets/gallery_holmes.html) lies beyond the orbit of Mars (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap070701.html). No distant comet (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search?comet+holmes) in recent history has remained so bright for so long. In this view (http://aisig.sdaa.org/ astroblogDetail.asp?imgID=1779&UserID=50), a white Comet Holmes (http://www.astronomia.pl/english/index.php?w=1&id=97) was photographed in early December posing with the Heart and Soul Nebulas (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap031022.html).
APOD presents: Astronomy Pictures of the Year for 2007 (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/apoys2007.html)
(Via NASA) (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap071231.html)
A Year of Spectacular Comets
Credit & Copyright: Bob Nanz ( bob at nanzscience.com) (San Diego Astronomy Association (http://aisig.sdaa.org/))
Explanation: Two spectacular comets graced Earth's skies during 2007. Both comets became bright enough to be seen by (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap070205.html) the unaided eye of the casual sky enthusiast (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap040808.html). Early in 2007, Comet McNaught (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap070122.html) grew brighter than any comet in 40 years, displaying a beautiful dust tail (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search?comet+McNaught) that flowed across the sky. Comet McNaught (http://www.spaceweather.com/comets/gallery_mcnaught.php) (c/2006 P1) became known as the Great Comet of 2007 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Comet_of_2007), sported unusual striations (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap070201.html) in its expansive dust tail (http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/~jewitt/tail.html), and showed unexpectedly complex chemistry (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap070504.html) in its ion tail (http://www.astrobio.net/news/article2483.html). Toward the year's end, normally docile and faint Comet Holmes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comet_Holmes) brightened suddenly and unexpectedly to naked eye visibility. Remarkably, Comet 17P/Holmes (http://cometography.com/pcomets/017p.html) stayed bright for weeks even though it (http://www.spaceweather.com/comets/gallery_holmes.html) lies beyond the orbit of Mars (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap070701.html). No distant comet (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search?comet+holmes) in recent history has remained so bright for so long. In this view (http://aisig.sdaa.org/ astroblogDetail.asp?imgID=1779&UserID=50), a white Comet Holmes (http://www.astronomia.pl/english/index.php?w=1&id=97) was photographed in early December posing with the Heart and Soul Nebulas (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap031022.html).
APOD presents: Astronomy Pictures of the Year for 2007 (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/apoys2007.html)
(Via NASA) (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap071231.html)