No, I am not talking about me getting any bright ideas. . . But, there will be a comet visiting us near the end of this year (2013) and some are predicting that it will be the brightest comet anyone alive today has seen. Well, we will see. Mother Nature has a way of screwing up mans' predictions just to prove that she can. (I first told you about this comet back on my blog http://dizzydick.blogspot.com/2012/11/wondering-about-christmas-comet.html ) I remember some past comets that didn't live up to their predictions, but I did at least get to see a good view of Kohoutek when it came around the sun. It did have nice tails. Yes, I said tails, plural. Comets have a dust trail that lays directly behind them, opposite their direction of travel. They also have an ionized tail that lays along a line pointing out from the center of the sun. When they are out in deep space, they are just a ball of ice and rock. It is the sun that brings them to life.
Back in the old days, people believed that they were omens of something bad to come. Well, they have given me a stiff neck from looking up for long periods of time, but they could do a lot of damage if one hit the Earth. Unless something drastically changes its trajectory, this one, comet ISON (C/2012 S1) will not come close to us unlike asteroid Apophis, which passed between the Earth and the moon. It, however, should give us a great show. I am sure as the date of its arrival gets close, I will remind you again. Now, you all have a great day today, you hear?
This bright comet ain't gonna affect my travels will it?? How bout gas prices? I can't afford to pay more ya know. Do ya think spots will fall off'n cows? If'n I was driv'n down the road and happen to see this comet, will I have to put sunglasses on? Dayum, I'm think'n the Mayans may have been right.
ReplyDeleteWe did have a couple of nice comets back in '95-96. I was taking night courses at a rural VT collage. After class I had excellent views of the night sky.
ReplyDeleteSome say this new one might start putting on a show as early as Sept., Nov. for sure.
I've a long saling trip planned for that time of the year so it should be interesting out on the water.
BB, not only will the spots fall off cows but the spots will fall off old men, too.
ReplyDeleteSixbears, I have been out in the Atlantic on a small boat at night and the sky is beautiful. Can't find any darker skies anywhere better than that.
I hope I will get to see that one. Sounds big.
ReplyDeleteIt will be visible soon Jill, hang in there. . .
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