NASA’s Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) captured an unusual comet skimming past the sun on February 18-21, 2015.
Watch this SOHO video to see the comet C/2015 D1 (SOHO) fly around the sun. Toward the end of the video, as the comet begins to develop a tail, the sun releases an eruption of solar material, called a coronal mass ejection, or CME, to add something more to the scene.
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Comet C/2015 D1 (SOHO) is interesting for two reasons. First it’s what’s called a non-group comet, meaning it’s not part of any known family of comets. Most comets seen by SOHO belong to the Kreutz family – all of which broke off from a single giant comet many centuries ago.
The second reason it’s interesting is because the vast majority of comets that come close enough to the sun to be seen by SOHO do not survive the trip. Known as sungrazers, these comets usually evaporate in the intense sunlight. This comet made it to within 2.2 million miles of the sun’s surface. At least for now, the comet appears to have survived the sun’s heat and gravitational tides and is turning around to the east headed for the evening sky. Will the comet survive the trip and show up in your evening sky? No one say for sure.
Karl Battams is a solar scientist at the Naval Research Lab in Washington, D.C. He said:
There’s a half-decent chance that ground observers might be able to detect it in the coming weeks. But it’s also possible that events during its trip around the sun will cause it to die fairly fast.
Astronomers calculated the comet’s changing position in the SOHO images and the Minor Planet Center used the data to publish an orbit, below.
Newly-named Comet C/2015 D1 (SOHO) will share the sky with Venus and Mars at dusk. For the next few nights it will be quite low and nearly impossible to see. Its situation improves over time as the comet moves rapidly northward into Pegasus and Andromeda. Tick marks show the comet’s position each evening. Stars are shown to magnitude +6.5. Via Universe Today
More about sungrazing comets this video:
Bottom line: NASA’s Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) captured an unusual comet skimming past the sun on February 18-21, 2015.This newly-discovered comet – named C/2015 D1 (SOHO) – might become bright enough to see in your evening skies.
from EarthSky http://ift.tt/17yS2Ww
NASA’s Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) captured an unusual comet skimming past the sun on February 18-21, 2015.
Watch this SOHO video to see the comet C/2015 D1 (SOHO) fly around the sun. Toward the end of the video, as the comet begins to develop a tail, the sun releases an eruption of solar material, called a coronal mass ejection, or CME, to add something more to the scene.
Enjoying EarthSky? Sign up for our free daily newsletter today!
Comet C/2015 D1 (SOHO) is interesting for two reasons. First it’s what’s called a non-group comet, meaning it’s not part of any known family of comets. Most comets seen by SOHO belong to the Kreutz family – all of which broke off from a single giant comet many centuries ago.
The second reason it’s interesting is because the vast majority of comets that come close enough to the sun to be seen by SOHO do not survive the trip. Known as sungrazers, these comets usually evaporate in the intense sunlight. This comet made it to within 2.2 million miles of the sun’s surface. At least for now, the comet appears to have survived the sun’s heat and gravitational tides and is turning around to the east headed for the evening sky. Will the comet survive the trip and show up in your evening sky? No one say for sure.
Karl Battams is a solar scientist at the Naval Research Lab in Washington, D.C. He said:
There’s a half-decent chance that ground observers might be able to detect it in the coming weeks. But it’s also possible that events during its trip around the sun will cause it to die fairly fast.
Astronomers calculated the comet’s changing position in the SOHO images and the Minor Planet Center used the data to publish an orbit, below.
Newly-named Comet C/2015 D1 (SOHO) will share the sky with Venus and Mars at dusk. For the next few nights it will be quite low and nearly impossible to see. Its situation improves over time as the comet moves rapidly northward into Pegasus and Andromeda. Tick marks show the comet’s position each evening. Stars are shown to magnitude +6.5. Via Universe Today
More about sungrazing comets this video:
Bottom line: NASA’s Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) captured an unusual comet skimming past the sun on February 18-21, 2015.This newly-discovered comet – named C/2015 D1 (SOHO) – might become bright enough to see in your evening skies.
from EarthSky http://ift.tt/17yS2Ww
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