Photos of Comet McNaught (C/2006 P1)

[jus_the_facts]

http://www.spaceweather.com/comets/gallery_mcnaught.htm


Comet McNaught (C/2006 P1) is plunging toward the Sun and brightening dramatically. It is now visible both at sunset and at dawn. In the morning, the comet emerges just ahead of the rising sun. In the evening, it pops out of the western twilight as soon as the sun sets. In both cases, a clear view of the horizon is essential.

[Morgana LaFey]

1. Now this is interesting

Will it be going behind the sun and re-emerging? Does anyone know? Then I'll tell you why I'm asking -- there's a specific reason, a political reason.

[jus_the_facts]

2. I don't know enough about these statistics to say but maybe someone else does....

http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/iau/Ephemerides/Comets/2006P1.html

Here's another article about it...space.com snippet...much more at link...

http://www.space.com/spacewatch/070104_comet_mcnaught.html


A newfound comet is about to loop around the Sun and might offer skywatchers a rare and fantastic view. But comets are unpredictable, and this one has a wide range of possible outcomes, experts say.

When Australian astronomer Robert McNaught announced Aug. 7 that he had discovered a faint comet on a photograph taken at the Siding Spring Observatory in New South Wales, it was a distant and inconspicuous object. But its orbital motion at once made it clear that this comet, officially catalogued as C/2006 P1, might grow very bright right about now.

Comet McNaught's orbit

[nebenaube]

3. yes it will, now spill the beans... n/t

[Morgana LaFey]

4. Well, you're probably not going to like it,

you "Science" types -- and I wouldn't have found this thread at all had it not hit the Greatest Page. This is about a different kind of science.

Here's why I was interested:

Astrologically (see? I told you you wouldn't like it), Comets that go behind the Sun always foretell (some) national leaders losing office in one way or another (coup, death, the like, sometimes probaby even regular elections). I think it's often within weeks or a few short months that that happens.

I kinda wish I'd kept track, but I was amazed: there were a good handful that fell when Mark Twain's comet did its circle of the Sun some years back, and then another few also when that last comet did the dance. I'm obviously not remembering their names.

On another subject entirely, does anyone else feel excited and energized looking at those photos? I couldn't help smiling and feeling very positive. Just curious.

[nebenaube]

5. Actually, I found it interesting that...

Lewellen stop publishing their "annual" global scale predictions in 2000. But that's the wife's source... I prefer http://freewillastrology.com

[scubadude]

6. They all go behind the sun...

They orbit the sun just like we do. There are many comets too. Certainly hundreds if not thousands. Out in the Kuiper belt there are tens of thousands. Does it only count astrologically if the the comet is visible? What about visible with binoculars? Telescopes? Geez! Now which astrology are you talking about? Western? Chinese? Islamic? Hmmmmmmmmm Makes one wonder which one is correct....




NOT!

[jus_the_facts]

8. HEY stranger....

....great to see you!!!! :hi:

[jus_the_facts]

7. Check out this satellite shot...this thing looks HUGE and mighty bright....

[Bill McBlueState]

9. is it the overexposed object at the top?

And if so, what's the one at the bottom?

Or do I have it backwards?

[jus_the_facts]

10. Comet at the top left....and that's Mercury to the bottom left of the Sun....

:hi:

[Bill McBlueState]

13. very cool

thanks!

[Rainscents]

11. This is HUGE!!!!

Run for your life!!!! I been hearing, NASA is watching this very close, this comet going to pass very close to Sun and there might, possibility of negative interaction with SUN since, both are highly magnetized! We might possibility get hit by some of the fragments from tail once, it has passed. :scared: :scared: :scared:

[UndertheOcean]

12. Its been cloudy EVERY night here in Florida...

:(

[Porcupine]

14. I saw the Comet friday night in CA.

Beautiful naked eye view of the comet just above the line of the coastal range. I hope it's still bright when it comes around the other side.

[jus_the_facts]

15. Awesome....been too cloudy in my neck o'the woods....

....and will remain so for the next several days...glad you got to see it though! :hi:

[marions ghost]

16. did I see the comet?

It was in early morning before sunrise in the east-southeast on Jan 14, below and to the right of Venus. Although there was some haze on the horizon, the object appeared very bright and twinkling. It did not appear to have a tail, although through binoculars there seemed to be some barely perceptible luminosity on the right side.

So could this be Comet McNaught?