William Atkins
Thursday, 05 February 2009 02:44
Science -
Space
Page 2 of 3
Thus, Comet Lulin will come only about 38 million miles short of Earth (the distance of the Sun from the Earth is 93 million miles, so 0.41 of that value is about 38 million miles).
Astronomers estimate that Comet Lulin will have a brightness of either 4th or 5th magnitude. In general terms, you should be able to see it with the naked eye at night if standing in total darkness away from any type of lights, such as those in urban locations.
Because this is the first known visit of Comet Lulin to the inner part of the solar system, its brightness is still up in the air (or up in space, as the case may be).
The green color of Comet Lulin is produced because of the gases within its atmosphere.
Its nucleus (center) contains cyanogen ((CN)
2, a toxic gas, that is normally colorless on Earth) and diatomic carbon (C
2, which on Earth produces the blue light of flames).
Both of these turn green in color when exposed to the rays of the Sun while speeding through the vacuum of outer space.
To observe Comet Lulin in your local sky you will need to get up early in the morning, about 3 a.m., your local time. It will be seen about one-third the way up the night sky from the horizon in the southern sky.
The comet will pass near the planet Saturn on February 23, and will move near Regulus in the constellation Leo on February 26 and 27, 2009
Page three tells you some more important early mornings in February to view the comet.
