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Post by Steve on Dec 31, 2011 3:17:12 GMT -6
See amazing video of comet from the ISS. www.nasa.gov/multimedia/videogallery/index.html?media_id=125774121apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap111231.htmlOn December 24, Comet Lovejoy rose in dawn's twilight, arcing above the eastern horizon, its tails swept back by the solar wind and sunlight. Seen on the left is the comet's early morning appearance alongside the southern Milky Way from the town of Intendente Alvear, La Pampa province, Argentina. The short star trails include bright southern sky stars Alpha and Beta Centauri near the center of the frame, but the long bright streak that crosses the comet tails is a little closer to home. Waiting for the proper moment to start his exposure, the photographer has also caught the International Space Station still glinting in the sunlight as it orbits (top to bottom) above the local horizon. The right panel is the near horizon view of Comet Lovejoy from the space station itself, captured only two days earlier. In fact, Dan Burbank, Expedition 30 commander, recorded Comet Lovejoy rising just before the Sun in a spectacular video (linked here). Even considering the other vistas available from low Earth orbit, Burbank describes the comet as "the most amazing thing I have ever seen in space."
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Post by Deleted on Dec 31, 2011 5:26:07 GMT -6
Its so upsetting that this cannot be viewed from the northern hemishere. arrrggghhh !!!!!
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Post by skywalker on Dec 31, 2011 17:18:33 GMT -6
Do you think the reason its tail is so spectacular is because it passed so close to the sun? Maybe that caused it to melt and scattered debris over a wider area.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 31, 2011 18:21:22 GMT -6
Yes , that is most definately the reason sky. Anytime a comet gets that close the tail gets longer because of what you described . It also depends on the mass and composition of the comet itself as other factors . Its a beauty The next one to provide an awesome view for both northern and southern hemisphere observers will be around march 2013 I think. Ill have to look it up and check the name and date but I think that is close. Another one like this could come in and surprise us beforehand, lets hope.
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