SA Footy

If you can get outside now - McNaught's Comet is on it's way and it's absolutely amazing

It leaves the brightest tail across the sky.

From where I am it appears to be heading towards Swan Reach from the Victorian border - so if you want to see it, look east to west in the sky over the next 20 minutes or so.

Awesome. Seriously.

Stargazers set for comet treatBy Vincent Morelli

January 12, 2007 06:32pm
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THE most spectacular comet in 40 years, named after the Australian astronomer who discovered it, will streak through the southern hemisphere over the next month.

Clear skies permitting, McNaught's Comet will reveal itself against the western horizon at sunset, beginning tomorrow.

Australian National University (ANU) astronomer Robert McNaught discovered the comet on August 7 last year using the Uppsala Schmidt telescope at Siding Spring Observatory near Coonabarabran, in central western NSW.

It has already appeared in the northern hemisphere and will be visible for up to one month but will burn brightest on Monday evening, fellow ANU astronomer Paul Francis said.

McNaught's Comet will be considerably brighter than the Halley's Comet, last visible from the earth in 1986.

McNaught's Comet is five times closer to the sun than the earth and four times closer to the sun than Halley's Comet was when it was last seen.

The brilliance of a comet increases the closer it gets to the sun, and also when it passes between the earth and the sun.

"The reason you see the comet is because they're basically dirty snowballs," Dr Francis said.

"They're mixtures of dust and frozen water and frozen methane.

"When the sunlight hits them it boils the stuff off and what you actually see is all the steam coming off the comet and not the comet itself."

And comets do not shine by their own light, they shine by reflecting light from the sun, Dr Francis said.

However, viewing the comet will be a bit tricky, he said.

It will be closest to earth at sunset but with less contrast against a twilight sky.

From Tuesday evening, McNaught's will move higher into the darkness but farther from the earth so its brilliance will lesson.

Dr Francis expects the comet to be visible to the naked eye for up to a week and maybe up to a month with binoculars.

He estimated the icy core of McNaught's to be 300m across but its surrounding, fuzzy "coma" was about 100,000km across.

Its tail could be up to three million kilometres in length, he said.

In NSW, the sun will set just after 8pm (AEDT) on Saturday, Sunday and Monday but if clouds obscure the horizon then it will not be visible, Dr Francis said.

Weather permitting, the comet will be visible for approximately five minutes on Saturday, 23 minutes on Sunday and 39 minutes on Monday – the night it is expected to be most brilliant.

In NSW, clouds are expected on Saturday with a clearing trend starting on Sunday and improving on Monday, a Bureau of Meteorology spokesman said.

People hoping to see McNaught's Comet should look west from higher ground with no buildings or natural landscape obstructing the horizon for quite a distance.

Had a look just then and looks stunning tonight, huge tail.

what an awesome sight .. sweet.. never mind the einstein factor

can't see it in the city (Richmond)...

Hooray, saw this thing last week (while in Perth)

First time i can ever definitely say that I saw a comet (complete with tail) compared to a "maybe that's it over there!"

I guess us Northern Hemisphere people miss out this time?
Damn, I always wanted to see a Comet!

Sorry, just read Dogwatcher's post.
Apparently we can see it here. I just haven't found it yet.
It should be west somewhere, right?

I never heard of McNugget's Comet before...
Sounds like the name of a 19th Century locomotive or vintage jalopy!

Remember Halley's Comet back in 1986?
Wasn't that an overrated crock of shit?
Just looked like a small blur in the sky!

sponsored by Macca's no doubt

No, it was named after Erin McNaught!
YOWWWSERS!

Last night I went out prowling through the streets of suburbia with binoculars in hand, looking for a gap in the foliage through which to view the western horizon.

WOW - quite amazing. Like Snaggy said, it beats the snot out of Halley's comet. Don't even need the binoculars, the tail is HUGE, easily seen with naked eye. I'm impressed.

Missed it damm . I think its out there again tonight, correct me if I am wrong. might have to go on Mitsi's roof tonite for a peak if it is out again.
Back in '86 my parents brought me a telescope to view Halley's comet as we were going to Alice Springs at the time, we got quite a good look at it.

Pseudo wrote:Last night I went out prowling through the streets of suburbia with binoculars in hand,

You know, you can get arrested for that Pseudo!

A lady at work said it was a plain as anything from her backyard about 9.30pm last night even with a street light in the way, Im heading up to Fisherman's Bay tomorrow, if I remember the tripod and camera I'll see if I can get a shot of it.

Hope its brighter than Halley's comet , this stupid black duck was a mad astronomer at the time and even bought a telescope for it, got up many a morning at 4am just to see a smudge through some binoculars.

Just went out and had a look at it in the backyeard and it looks awesome, can't wait to see it from the country tomorrow night!

Looked wonderful tonight. was sitting in my spa watching it trace across the sky.

Was at work, sitting on roof with a beer in hand, looked awesome!!

i was reading mondays posts thinking "damn i wish i saw it". Then i read ithat it was seen 3 hours ago. Do I get another chance? Where has it been publicised?

- wrote:i was reading mondays posts thinking "damn i wish i saw it". Then i read ithat it was seen 3 hours ago. Do I get another chance? Where has it been publicised?

Try tomorrow mate. Comets don't disappear overnight.