Comet C/2009 R1 (McNaught) comes for a visit

William Atkins
Wednesday, 09 June 2010 23:18

Science - Space

The Comet C/2009 R1 (McNaught) is making its first swing into the inner part of the Solar System. By mid June 2010, we should be able to get our closest look at the comet described with a 'vivid green head and a long wispy tail.'

Comet McNaught is actually a group of (at least) 54 comets with this common name.

This particular comet is known by the designation C/2009 R1, or C/2009 R1 (McNaught).

See a picture of the C/2009 R1 comet, which is provided by the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.

It is a non-periodic comet that was discovered by British-Australian astronomer Robert H. McNaught, from Australia's Siding Spring Observatory, on September 9, 2009.

By early June 2010, the comet will be visible on the Earth with only a pair of binoculars and, of course, a clear night sky. It will never get any close to the Sun than 1.135 astronomical unit (AU), or a little further than the distance between the Sun and Earth (which is 1 AU).

Eventually, C/2009 R1 will become even brighter, reaching approximately a magnitude 2 from June 30 to July 2, 2010. A magnitude 2 star is comparable to the ones in the Big Dipper.

Page two continues with additional information on our visiting comet.