[AstroNet] Astro News

[Samir Dhurde]

Dear All,

  A previously unknown comet has been discovered last week. It is coming towards the Sun on its elongated orbit. 2012 S1 (ISON) is a discovery that has the potential to be a "great comet" in the fall of 2013. It is not currently observable visually.

Here are some reports...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/26/comet-ison-visible_n_1915544.html

http://earthsky.org/space/big-sun-diving-comet-ison-might-be-spectacular-in-2013

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/09/120927-new-comet-2012-s1-ison-science-space-moon/

http://www.planetary.org/blogs/guest-blogs/20120925-comet-ison.html

I cant find any actual calculations to go with the reports that its going to be as bright as the Moon! Maybe they mean to say the integrated magnitude or the brightness over a small area near the nucleus. Or do they mean it will brighter than the Moon on Moonless nights :) Any comments from anyone?


Samir :)


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 Samir Dhurde,                  Incharge - Public Outreach
       IUCAA, Pune University Campus, Pune - 411007, India
       Tel: (O)91-20-25604603         Fax:  91-20-25604699
       http://www.iucaa.ernet.in/~scipop
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