HR MacMillan Space Centre - Just for Teachers
Resources to help you teach about astronomy, space science and sustainability
Comet Lulin (The green comet)
So I heared about this comet from one of my friends and decided to check it out myself. This comet actually looks green. That is due to C2 and CN gases that gets released due to sunlight as the comet gets closer to the sun. This comet is in a highly eccentric orbit which means that it will not come around the sun for another long long time.
So I went outside at around 8.30pm despite the bitter cold wind with my 20X50 binoculars to find the comet. Before I went outside I looked online where the comet currently is. When I want to find an object in the night sky I always go to www.heavens-above.com. So I found out that it was in LEO close to star Regulus. At first I couldn't see it with my naked eye. Then I scanned the area with my binoculars and stumbled on it. It looked like a smudge with a slightly bright centre. My binoculars couldn't bring out the green colour, and it looked greyish. When I looked at it for a bit I could faintly figure out a small faint tail that extend a short distant Eastward. It was quite a sight. I have not seen a comet with a tail yet. Even though this tail is faint and tiny I was glad I could see it. Luckily for me and you this comet will hang around until about March 2nd. But it will get fainter every day as it goes away from the sun. So if you want to catch this comet before it disappears forever, don't wait.
More info about the comet can be found here.
So I went outside at around 8.30pm despite the bitter cold wind with my 20X50 binoculars to find the comet. Before I went outside I looked online where the comet currently is. When I want to find an object in the night sky I always go to www.heavens-above.com. So I found out that it was in LEO close to star Regulus. At first I couldn't see it with my naked eye. Then I scanned the area with my binoculars and stumbled on it. It looked like a smudge with a slightly bright centre. My binoculars couldn't bring out the green colour, and it looked greyish. When I looked at it for a bit I could faintly figure out a small faint tail that extend a short distant Eastward. It was quite a sight. I have not seen a comet with a tail yet. Even though this tail is faint and tiny I was glad I could see it. Luckily for me and you this comet will hang around until about March 2nd. But it will get fainter every day as it goes away from the sun. So if you want to catch this comet before it disappears forever, don't wait.
More info about the comet can be found here.
Add a Comment
About
© 2009 Created by Lisa McIntosh on Ning. Create Your Own Social Network
You need to be a member of HR MacMillan Space Centre - Just for Teachers to add comments!
Join this social network