One More Post About the Comet
I didn't mean to write more about comets, but I want to share with star lovers new information for me.
Now it is clear to everyone that comet Pons-Brooks did not live up to expectations. It has not reached the predicted magnitude and it is quite difficult to see it. If you observe it with the naked eye, it is no different from a star. But to see even this "star" you need to find a very dark area, without light pollution. With binoculars or an amateur telescope, you have a much better chance of seeing a comet.
Why did comet Pons-Brooks disappoint everyone? What happened was impossible to predict in advance. During its movement, the comet encountered a solar storm. This changed the properties of the comet and it remained less visible.
If you're disappointed that you didn't get to see the comet in all its cosmic glory, don't despair. There is hope.
Astronomers have recently discovered another comet, and this discovery has already attracted the interest of the general public. It is called the most important astronomical event of the year. Comet C/2023 A3 was spotted independently by astronomers at China's Purple Mountain Observatory and the Asteroid Collision Alert System (ATLAS). Currently, it is located between the orbits of Jupiter and Saturn, which is a billion kilometers from Earth. It is predicted that by September 2024 it will pass at a distance of 59 million kilometers from the Sun.
Comet Zuqingshan-ATLAS is already distinguished by its brightness even at such a significant distance from the Sun. According to information from Wikipedia:
According to the official Minor Planet Center (MPC) forecast, the maximum brightness will be +0.3 and will be reached on October 7, 2024. The brightness of the comet will exceed magnitude +2 from September 20 to October 20, 2024. According to Gideon van Buitenen's prediction, which takes into account the effect of direct dust scattering, the comet's maximum brightness will reach magnitude −1 and will be reached on October 13, 2024.
So, if the predictions come true (a big if), then already this year you and I will have the opportunity to see a real cosmic spectacle that will be quite impressive. I hope I managed to intrigue you 😀.
Source: space.com
That's pretty bright. For reference/context, the magnitudes can be understood from the chart on this page. I asked Leo (AI agent in the Brave browser) to describe a comet between magnitude 2 and magnitude -1. Here's what he said:
If I recall correctly, Pons-Brooks was supposed to peak around magnitude 5. At that brightness, I had no chance of seeing it where I live, so I'm glad we'll have a chance to catch another one in the fall.
Yes, it really should be a bright object, although I am cautious about predictions. If I'm not mistaken, Comet Gale-Bopp had a magnitude of 0.7. It was an incredible sight that I could watch every night just from my window when I went to bed. In this case, it is difficult for me to even imagine a comet with a brightness of -1.
Somehow, I managed to miss the Hale-Bopp comet. I guess 'cause we didn't have cell phone maps of the skies in those days, so I wouldn't have known where to look. The only thing I remember from Hale-Bopp's passing was the Heaven's Gate cult 😞. It hadn't occurred to me, but now that you mention Gale-Bopp, I hope that Zuqingshan-ATLAS doesn't attract similar dysfunction.
There will always be people who, for the sake of some interests, will spoil any event 😕.
I always skipped magnitudes while reading stellar data, thinking, the angle from horizon would be sufficient to locate a star.
I'm satisfied with Pons-brooks. It lived up to my expectations. 😄
Thank you for these stellar updates. Already looking forward to C/2023 A3.
Haha, when a person has already had something more, he cannot be satisfied with something less. In 1997, the huge and very bright Gale-Bopp comet shone in the sky. For three months, she was visible from my window every day. Every evening, when I was already lying in bed, this comet invariably looked at me, and I at it. It was she who gave me a strange love for comets.
Now I'm envious.
How was it? Was there a tail?
Oh, I'm sure you wouldn't regret it. In fact, it was an extraordinary sight. The comet was very bright and it had two rather long tails clearly visible. One was straight and the other was curved. It was 1997 - the peak of the economic crisis in Ukraine. At that time, there was such a wonder as daily scheduled power outages for several hours in the evenings. Because of this reduction in light pollution, observing the comet was extremely easy.
That must have been so exciting.... not the power outages part of course.
🤣
Curated by : @patjewell