Ever Seen a Really Big, Bright Comet Go Around the Sun?

[Elspode]

http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/data/...current_c3.mpg

Southern Hemisphere viewers are living fat, dumb and happy right about now. One of the brightest comets in human history at present, Comet McNaught.

Edit: This link probably changes, so if it doesn't show the comet, just look in the archives under the same instrument, LASCO C3.

[bluesdave]

Els, I'm afraid I don't understand your humour - you are trying to be funny, aren't you?

BTW, Rob McNaught is an Aussie.

We have tried the last three nights to see the comet, without success. The SW horizon has been too cloudy for us to see the comet. Hopefully, as it rises above the horizon as the week progresses, we will get to see it, even if it is faint at the time.

[Irie]

Interesting photo. I wish they could have shown it with a little bit more context, but still very interesting. Maybe it's Pluto leaving in exile. jerks

[Elspode]

Okay, okay...be patient, BD. You *will* be living fat, dumb and happy as soon as the object climbs a little higher in the sky.

Cheer up. I never saw the damn thing at all last week when it was at its brightest. Besides, if you know where to look, it can be seen in daylight right now, so no more whining. Plus, it is summer down there, and we're iced in up to our asses.

[Elspode]

This topic sure ran out in a hurry. The link is to the most current Lasco C3 video, so content changes daily. You'll have to look back in the archives to see McNaught now.

[bluesdave]

Originally Posted by Elspode

Okay, okay...be patient, BD. You *will* be living fat, dumb and happy as soon as the object climbs a little higher in the sky.

Cheer up. I never saw the damn thing at all last week when it was at its brightest. Besides, if you know where to look, it can be seen in daylight right now, so no more whining. Plus, it is summer down there, and we're iced in up to our asses.

First, I'm not fat, I have several degrees, and we don't get a get good view from our place because we have gum trees stretching from the West to South, so our view is blocked. I am now retired, so to that extent, I am happy.

As the comet climbs, its brightness declines. I believe that by the time it clears the tree line, it will be too faint to view without a telescope. At least I have seen plenty of images on the Net.

We are in the middle of the worst drought ever in Australia. Yesterday there was good, heavy rain in parts of the centre, extending into the western parts of the Eastern states, but on the coast we have had no rain. Our dams are down to 20-30%, some are empty. Our water situation is desperate. The temperature today in my area is predicted to be up to 40C (that's 104F).

[xoxoxoBruce]

Easy Dave, "fat, dumb and happy' is an American expression describing a reasonably pleasant condition, not an accusatory remark.

Retired? What happened, your boss catch you goofing off in the Inconvenient Truth thread? Well, it good that you can spend more time here sharing your knowledge.

Oh, this is the comet in your neck of the woods. The photographer said that dark sky above the trees was smoke from Aussie fires.

[bluesdave]

Thanks Bruce. I actually printed that comet image two days ago, so that at least we can see it on paper, if not in real life.

No problems with my retirement. I have been semi retired for a few years anyway, and decided it was time to have some fun. I'll still contribute a little research, but it will be strictly on an interest basis.

Els: sorry that I misunderstood. We only speak English down here, not American.

[yesman065]

I was just looking too - I can't believe there isn't one large enough online to download.

[Urbane Guerrilla]

Yeah, B-Dave; the local citrus crops have taken quite a hit from freezing temps in the orchards three or four days running, likewise the early strawberry, avocado, and some other vegetable crops. It's been bad enough for the state government to declare a disaster area in this and other counties up into the agricultural regions of the Central Valley. It will probably take much of the year to recover generally, and ag-sector workers -- pickers, cropdusters, shippers and haulers -- are in for a rough time.

About all we can say is that the citrus growers in Florida, the other big citrus area in the States, are going to do well -- hell, they're going to make out like bandits out of the rising prices.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by Pie

I still need to find a bigger version -- or maybe they're holding out for full-size posters?

Originally Posted by yesman065

I was just looking too - I can't believe there isn't one large enough online to download.

Don't forget these are all time-lapse photos. That last one probably quite long or multi exposure. Everything from the blades of grass to the stars are in motion, so good resolution still won't give a clear crisp picture.

[xoxoxoBruce]

By the way, this site has the picture below at 1.12 megs.

There seems to be a series like that last one I put up here.

[DucksNuts]

Ohhh I was lucky enough to see McNaught whilst out for a run last nite, seeing as I live in stixville, it was particularly bright.

Might see if I can take the camera tonite and get some pics.

[xoxoxoBruce]

That picture in post 17 is the Earth Science Picture of the Day, today. 11"x17" and 1.3 Mb.

[Urbane Guerrilla]

Lots of fun. You boys and girls are lucky.

Seen a few good ones in the last decade or so myself: Hyakutake, the one whose name escapes me that made the close pass near the North Celestial Pole -- at closest approach you could take a look at it in the scope, then look two minutes later and see that it had moved across the starfield, and Hale-Bopp, which looked like a thumb-smear of a painted-on star.