Comet McNaught: Difference between revisions

C/2006 P1
Discovery
Discovered by	Robert H. McNaught
Discovery date	August 7, 2006
Designations
Alternative designations	C/2006 P1, Comet McNaught, 2006 P1
Orbital characteristics
Epoch	2453990.5 (September 12, 2006)
Perihelion	0.170753998163775 AU
Semi-major axis	-5681.10388683203 AU
Eccentricity	1.00003005648226
Inclination	77.8276800447699°
Last perihelion	January 12, 2007
Next perihelion	Never

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Revision as of 08:43, 14 January 2007

C/2006 P1, also known as Comet McNaught, is a non-periodic comet that was discovered on August 7, 2006 in Australia by Robert H. McNaught. It made Perihelion on January 12, 2007, and has become visible to the naked eye.

Viewing

Comet McNaught has had its apparent magnitude estimated as high as -3, but due to its proximity to the sun it has a short window for viewing. It could be found close to the horizon, near Venus, Aquila, and Ophiuchus, for approximately 30 minutes after the sun sets in the northern hemisphere until January 12, 2007. After passing the sun, Comet McNaught should become visible in the southern hemisphere.

Comet McNaught is currently tied with Comet West (1975) as the 3rd brightest comet seen in the last 70 years, and the brightest in 30 years.^[2] It has become even brighter after making its closest pass to the sun on January 12, 2007. The comet entered SOHO LASCO C3's field of view on January 12, and is expected to be brighter than comet NEAT in 2003.

Image gallery

C/2006P1 as seen 13 JAN 2007 from southern California.

References

^ http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/horizons.cgi
^ "Brightest comets seen since 1935". Harvard. Retrieved 2007-01-12.

External links

This comet-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[1] ttp://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/horizons.cgi

[2] "Brightest comets seen since 1935". Harvard. Retrieved 2007-01-12.

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 Comet McNaught has had its [[apparent magnitude]] estimated as high as -3, but due to its proximity to the sun it has a short window for viewing. It could be found close to the horizon, near [[Venus]], [[Aquila (constellation)|Aquila]], and [[Ophiuchus]], for approximately 30 minutes after the sun sets in the northern hemisphere until [[January 12]], [[2007]]. After passing the sun, Comet McNaught should become visible in the southern hemisphere.
-Comet McNaught is currently tied with [[Comet West]] ([[1975]]) as the 3rd brightest comet seen in the last 70 years, and the brightest in 30 years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/icq/brightest.html|title=Brightest comets seen since 1935|publisher=Harvard|accessdate=2007-01-12}}</ref> It could become even brighter after making its closest pass to the sun on January 12, 2007. The comet entered [[Solar and Heliospheric Observatory|SOHO]] LASCO C3's [[field of view]] on January 12, and is expected to be brighter than comet [[C/2002 V1|NEAT]] in 2003.
+Comet McNaught is currently tied with [[Comet West]] ([[1975]]) as the 3rd brightest comet seen in the last 70 years, and the brightest in 30 years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/icq/brightest.html|title=Brightest comets seen since 1935|publisher=Harvard|accessdate=2007-01-12}}</ref> It has become even brighter after making its closest pass to the sun on January 12, 2007. The comet entered [[Solar and Heliospheric Observatory|SOHO]] LASCO C3's [[field of view]] on January 12, and is expected to be brighter than comet [[C/2002 V1|NEAT]] in 2003.
 ==Image gallery==